Herniated Disc in the Upper BackA herniated disc in the upper back is not a typical injury, since the upper thoracic spine is so very strong and stable. However, extreme trauma to this region can cause a variety of muscular and spinal injuries including herniated discs, in rare circumstances.
Thoracic Herniated Disc Causes Herniated Disc in the Upper Back CausesThe upper thoracic spine is not subject to the constant vertebral movement imposed upon the cervical and lumbar regions. Therefore, the thoracic region is less likely to suffer spinal osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease than the more mobile areas of the spinal column. This fact makes herniated discs, which are caused by degenerative changes, far less likely to occur in the upper and middle back regions.Direct trauma to the upper back can still cause a
thoracic herniated disc
to occur. While the upper spinal column is strong and structurally resilient, it can not accept unlimited force without being damaged.
Car accidents,
severe falls and some
sports
accidents might create the ideal circumstances for an upper back injury to occur. Luckily, even in the worst case scenario, in which a thoracic disc suffers a herniation, the condition is likely to heal 100%, even if no treatment is provided. Best of all, the thoracic spine generally heals even faster than other spinal regions, since it is not put under inordinate stress during the healing process. Herniated Disc in the Upper Back SymptomsUpper back injuries often entail pain in the middle spinal area and radiating pain in between the shoulder blades. Most upper back pain syndromes involve the muscles, tendons and ligaments in the back, not the actual spinal structures. All of these types of injures can be painful and debilitating; preventing full usage of the shoulders, arms and hands. Some of these pain syndromes can even affect the movement of the neck and head. Herniated discs in the thoracic region might be acutely painful when they first occur, although this pain might be identical to virtually any other upper back injury. It is important to get a complete medical exam, if you suspect a spinal disc or vertebra has been injured. An MRI or CT scan will be able to diagnose the exact location and severity of damage to any spinal structure.Radiating pain in the shoulders, lower back, arms, hands, neck or head will typically indicate neurological involvement, but this does not always indicate the presence of a herniated disc. General inflammation from any injury can affect the nerves in the upper back, as can the far more common occurrence of
ischemia upper back pain. Herniated Disc in the Upper Back AdviceChronic upper back pain is a rare event which affects patients almost exclusively through a psychosomatic back pain condition. It would take severe and permanent spinal damage to enact a lasting painful condition in the upper back area. While this does occur in rare instances, it is certainly not characteristic of the common complaint of persistent upper back pain. These circumstances are more often caused by an oxygen deprivation syndrome and can endure despite treatment for many years. If you have treatment resistant thoracic pain, I highly recommend considering knowledge therapy as a possible solution to your pain problem. This therapy works very well to get to the actual source of symptoms and can succeed time and time again when traditional medical or complementary medical modalities have failed.Herniated Disc in the Upper Back to Herniated Disc 12/23/08 Revised 1/24/12 |
Sensei Adam Rostocki
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