BackFaqs

This is my second post, and it's on upper back pain because that's probably what I see the most in my massage practice. Every day people come in complaining that they feel like they're being stabbed with a hot poker between their shoulder blades, and/or that the burning pain in their upper back area gets progressively worse as the day goes on.

Often they wake up with an aching or sore neck and shoulders that they're able to work out through a bit of stretching and their general wake-up routine. But the daily grind sets in and by the end of the day they feel like the guy at the bottom of the pile in this picture.

At least these guys'll get something out of it if they win the game. So, about that pain. Unless you're regularly tackled by 300-pound brutes, what causes it?

Common Causes of Upper Back Pain

• Computer overuse
• Improper bending or lifting
• Poor posture caused by large breasts
• Poor posture in general
• Prolonged sitting / poor ergonomics
• Auto accidents
• Fibromyalgia
• Sports injuries

In other posts I'll break all of this down in detail. Just realize that some of this stuff's easy to fix or manage; some of it isn't. Do you want the good news or the the bad new first? OK, good news.

Unless there's a serious underlying medical condition, there are really only three major approaches to back pain treatment.

I urge you to get checked out by a medical professional before you go off on your own. It's rare that back pain is connected with a serious medical condition, but especially if you have any associated symptoms like fever, numbness, or tingling, make sure you get yourself to a professional. They can rule out serious conditions like spinal disease, tumors, and heart conditions.

3 Approaches to Managing Back Pain

1. Strengthen the underlying muscles
2. Improve flexibility
3. Increase joint mobility

Well, there's pills and surgery, and they do have their place, which I'll get into, but for the most part, if you can take care of the three things in this list, you won't need pills or surgery. Of course, the fun starts when you try to figure out how to accomplish all of the above. Yeah, it can get a little complicated, and that's what all of the gazillion web pages and bazillion gadgets and pillows and mattresses and massage tools and dvds are all about. Whole industries have sprung up to help you. Stay tuned and we'll deconstruct it together.