Mid-Back Pain
What may cause my mid-back pain?
Mid-back pain that appears suddenly is usually caused by acute injuries such as damaged discs or torn muscles. Common causes of acute mid-back pain include sports injuries, falls, poor lifting techniques, and overexertion.
You can also develop long-term mid-back pain from repetitive strain or engaging in the same activities that cause acute pain. Repeating the same movements over extended periods can irritate and inflame the tissues in and around your spine, resulting in mid-back pain and soreness that worsen when you perform these activities.
Another type of mid-back pain is due to age-related deterioration. This includes conditions such as osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and vertebral compression fractures resulting from osteoporosis.
Other causes of mid-back pain include spinal abnormalities such as scoliosis, which involves a curvature of the spine to the left and/or right. Additionally, spinal cord injuries, tumors, and internal diseases like kidney infections can lead to mid-back pain..
What is degenerative disc disease?
Disc degeneration can be caused by a number of factors. Degenerative disc disease (DDD) refers to the deterioration of the intervertebral disc as you age, experience trauma, or have congenital circumstances. Intervertebral discs separate the bones (vertebrae) in your spine, acting as cushions and shock absorbers. These discs also allow you to bend and twist your mid-back with ease.
As you get older, the intervertebral discs begin to collapse due to the loss of collagen fibers and water, affecting the space between the spinal bones. Typically, the pain from DDD is most noticeable when bending forward, sitting, and sitting while bent forward.
Degenerative disc disease may also lead to other mid-back problems that cause pain, such as disc herniation, spinal stenosis (narrowing in the spine), or spondylolisthesis (vertebral bone displacement).
Most people aged 40 and older experience some degree of disc degeneration, but not everyone develops pain. We treat patients based upon their physical examination, MRI results, and presentation. We do not make a diagnosis based solely on imaging.
What is a slipped disc, formally known as disc protrusion and herniation?
A disc protrusion is a milder form of a herniation, usually caused by microscopic injury to the outer ring of the disc (annulus). Intervertebral discs separate and cushion the space between each vertebra. These discs have a tough exterior and a gel-like interior.
Disc herniation refers to the gel-like material in the intervertebral disc pushing against the outer ring of connective tissue that surrounds the entire disc. The displaced disc material may irritate or compress a spinal nerve or the spinal cord, resulting in pain.
You can develop disc protrusion and herniation following an acute injury, such as a car accident or heavy lifting. However, you’re more likely to sustain a disc injury as you get older due to age-related degenerative changes, making the discs more vulnerable to tears and herniations.
Can I have pain that radiates into my legs with disc herniation?
If you have disc protrusion and herniation in the mid-back (thoracic spine), it may irritate the nerve roots that exit the spine through the foramen. This can cause pain that radiates down the front, side, or back of the leg. This layman’s term is sciatica.
What is facet joint pain?
The facet joints are small joints, about the size of knuckles, located on the mid-back of the spine. These joints take on about 15% of the spine’s weight load. When a disc herniation or degenerative disc disease (DDD) develops and the disc becomes sustain the top portion of the facet joint moves closer to the bottom portion of the joint. Over time, this process can lead to the development of arthritis. Arthritis can be likened to developing potholes in the road. It results in exposed bone with free nerve endings that can transmit pain.
What is stenosis of the central canal and lateral recess/foramen?
Central canal stenosis refers to the narrowing of the central spinal canal, which houses the spinal cord. Lateral recess stenosis, also known as foraminal stenosis, refers to the narrowing of the space within the intervertebral foramen, which is the area where the nerve root exits the spinal column.
Central canal stenosis and lateral recess/foraminal stenosis can be caused by a number of conditions, including congenital narrowing, aging, injuries, diseases, and trauma. These conditions often result in irritation of the nerve roots, which can cause mid-back and radiating pain around the rib cage.
How is mid-back pain diagnosed?
The Bioinfinity Regenerative Medicine team has extensive experience diagnosing mid-back pain. We review your medical history, complete a physical exam, and discuss your symptoms. Imaging procedures such as an MRI, CT scan, or X-rays are often needed to allow your provider to view the bones and tissues in your spine, enabling them to identify the cause of your mid-back pain.
