Upper Back Pain (Thoracic)
What is it?
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The thoracic spine is made of 12 bones (vertebrae) that sit between the neck and low back.
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The thoracic spine is slightly different to other parts of your spine as your ribs attach to the thoracic vertebrae. These help protect the internal organs.
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Spines are generally very robust, strong and mobile.
Typical Symptoms/features
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Pain in the middle area of the back, which can be vague.
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Symptoms can refer around towards the ribs.
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Pain can be worse with extremes of movement e.g twisting or bending movements.
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The back may feel restricted or stiff.
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Symptoms may be worse in those with desk-based jobs and static postures.
Management
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Activity modification
- When you first start noticing back pain, it may help to reduce your activity for a short amount of time to allow the pain to settle.
- However, there is strong evidence that says keeping active and slowly returning to your normal levels of activity can actually help the pain to settle quicker.
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Ice or heat
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Pain relief
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Physiotherapy including range of movement exercises and a graded strengthening programme.
Do I need imaging?
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Imaging (X-rays or scans) is rarely required to diagnose thoracic back pain.
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X-rays and scans are most appropriately used after a serious injury.
