There are a lot of different causes for back pain – and some of the causes are more serious than others. For people who have pain in their back, the most important issue in diagnosing it is to determine where in the back the pain is located. Pain in the middle of your back, for example, probably isn’t caused by the same things as pain in the lower back or the upper back and shoulders. Conditions like spina bifida and scoliosis can cause back pain, but so can something as simple as a pulled muscle.
In order to discover what’s causing the pain in the middle of your back, a doctor may be necessary. If you can tell that you’ve pulled a muscle, you’ll just need to take good care of yourself and get plenty of rest so you can feel better. However, if a muscle injury isn’t the cause of your back pain, consulting with a doctor can help protect your health and get you the treatment that you need. A slipped or ruptured disc can be one of the causes of pain in the middle of your back. If you’ve injured yourself due to heavy lifting or some other kind of activity, a disc problem could be the result.
These kinds of problems can cause a lot of pain, and they’re very persistent. They can’t be fixed on their own, either, so a doctor’s intervention will be necessary. Don’t put off going to the doctor and finding out whether you have a problem with a disc in your back. The sooner it’s treated, the better you’ll feel and the more likely you’ll be to return to normal activities. Damaged or injured muscles can also cause pain in the middle of your back, so don’t assume that you’ve injured a disc if you’re in pain. Only a doctor can really tell you for sure.
Sometimes the way you stand or sit can cause pain in the middle of your back, too. Having bad posture can contribute to all kinds of difficulties, and when you don’t realize that you have poor posture it can be hard to correct it. If you think posture might be the cause of your back pain, have it evaluated. That way you’ll know if there is a more serious cause. Once you receive a clean bill of health, you can start working on your posture. There are braces and other devices that can help you, and you can also work to strengthen your back and core muscles, which will encourage you to stand up straighter.
Buying ergonomic furniture is important, as well, because you’re forced to sit properly when you have an ergonomic chair in which to work. See about getting one at your office, or buy one for your home office where you sit most of the day. If the pain in the middle of your back is from a posture problem, that should help correct it and allow you to feel much better.
Jesse is the co-founder and visionary CEO of The Healthy Back Institute®, the world-leading source of natural back pain solutions. His mission as a former back pain sufferer is to help others live pain free without surgery and pharmaceuticals.
