Massage for Back Pain, Santa Barbara, Ca.

Upper Back Pain

If the upper back becomes painful, it is typically for one of the following two reasons:

1. Muscular irritation. The shoulder girdle attaches by large muscles to the scapula (the shoulder blade) and the back of the rib cage. These large upper back muscles are prone to developing strains or tightness that can be painful and difficult to alleviate. Muscular irritation in the upper back is typically due to either de-conditioning (lack of strength) or overuse injuries (such as repetitive motions). Joint dysfunction. Either from a sudden injury or natural degeneration due to aging, joints in the thoracic spine can become dysfunctional and painful. Some examples could include a facet joint’s cartilage or joint capsule tearing
2. If upper back pain becomes bad enough to limit activities, it usually feels like a sharp, burning pain localized to one spot or a general achiness that can flare up and possibly spread to the shoulder, neck, or elsewhere.

Upper and middle back pain may be caused by overuse, muscle strain, or injury to the muscles, ligaments, and discs that support your spine. Poor posture. Pressure on the spinal nerves from certain problems, such as a herniated disc.

Repeated heavy lifting or a sudden awkward movement may strain back muscles and spinal ligaments. If you’re in poor physical condition, constant strain on your back may cause painful muscle spasms. Bulging or ruptured disks. Disks act as cushions between the bones (vertebrae) in your spine.

Mid Back Pain

Many patients with lower back pain want to know if they have herniated a disc, or if their pain is merely a lower back strain. Here are some tests that can help you differentiate between these two types of lower back injuries. As always, it is a good idea to seek out medical attention with any back pain that will not go away!

1. In general, disc herniations hurt both with bending forward AND with returning from bending up to an upright position. Back strains or sprains tend to hurt less with bending forward, and more with returning from a forward bend.

2. Herniated discs are often associated with shooting pain and numbness that travels down one of the legs. Lower back sprains and strains tend to have “centralized” pain (only in the lower back).

3. Herniated discs can cause weakness in a leg. Sometimes patients will experience repetitive “stubbing” of his or her toes while walking. This is a manifestation of certain muscles losing strength and not being able to adequately clear the foot from the floor while walking. Someone with a herniated disc will also often not be able to walk on his or her toes on one side.

4. Many people with a herniated disc will have a dulled patellar or heel-cord reflex on the involved side. Most people have had this test performed on them during a doctor’s visit. The patient is seated with the legs dangling off the side of the table. The doctor hits the patellar tendon with a rubber hammer just below the kneecap, and the lower leg momentarily jerks. If one leg has a muted response to this test, the cause may be a herniated disc.

5. In severe cases of disc herniation, bowel and bladder control is compromised. If this happens to you, immediately seek the attention of your doctor.

The good news here is that the vast majority of disc herniations do not require surgery. Medication, diagnostic imaging (such as an MRI), formal physical therapy, and rest are all part of the recovery equation. Do not try to manage this type of diagnosis on your own!

Low Back Pain

Causes of back pain

The human back is composed of a complex structure of muscles, ligaments, tendons, disks, and bones – the segments of our spine are cushioned with cartilage-like pads called disks. Problems with any of these components can lead to back pain. In some cases of back pain, its cause is never found.

Strain – the most common causes of back pain are:

• Strained muscles
• Strained ligaments
• A muscle spasm

Things that can lead to strains or spasms include:

• Lifting something improperly
• Lifting something that is too heavy
• The result of abrupt and awkward movements

Back pain is a very common complaint. According to the Mayo Clinic, approximately 80% of all Americans will have low back pain at least once in their lives.

Back pain is a common reason for absence from work and doctor visits. Although back pain may be painful and uncomfortable, it is not usually serious.

Even though back pain can affect people of any age, it is significantly more common among adults aged between 35 and 55 years. Experts say that back pain is associated with the way our bones, muscles, and ligaments in our backs work and connect together.

Pain in the lower back may be linked to the bony lumbar spine, discs between the vertebrae, ligaments around the spine and discs, spinal cord and nerves, lower back muscles, abdomen and pelvic internal organs, and the skin around the lumbar area. Pain in the upper back may be due to disorders of the aorta, tumors in the chest, and spine inflammation.

Structural problems – the following structural problems may also result in back pain:

• Ruptured disks – each vertebra in our spine is cushioned by disks. If the disk ruptures there will be more pressure on a nerve, resulting in back pain.
• Bulging disks – in much the same way as ruptured disks, a bulging disk can result in more pressure on a nerve.
• Sciatica – a sharp and shooting pain that travels through the buttock and down the back of the leg, caused by a bulging or herniated disc pressing on a nerve.
• Arthritis – patients with osteoarthritis commonly experience problems with the joints in the hips, lower back, knees, and hands. In some cases, spinal stenosis can develop, which is the term used to describe when the space around the spinal cord narrows.
• Abnormal curvature of the spine – if the spine curves in an unusual way the patient is more likely to experience back pain. An example is a scoliosis, a condition in which the spine curves to the side.
• Osteoporosis – bones, including the vertebrae of the spine, become brittle and porous, making compression fractures more likely.

Below are some other causes of back pain:

• Cauda equina syndrome – the cauda equine is a bundle of spinal nerve roots that arise from the lower end of the spinal cord. People with cauda equine syndrome feel a dull pain in the lower back and upper buttocks, as well as analgesia (lack of feeling) in the buttocks, genitalia, and thigh. There are sometimes bowel and bladder function disturbances.
• Cancer of the spine – a tumor located on the spine may press against a nerve, resulting in back pain.
• Infection of the spine – if the patient has an elevated body temperature (fever) as well as a tender warm area on the back, it could be caused by an infection of the spine.
• Other infections – pelvic inflammatory disease (females), bladder, or kidney infections may also lead to back pain.
• Sleep disorders – individuals with sleep disorders are more likely to experience back pain, compared to others.
• Shingles – an infection that can affect the nerves may lead to back pain, depending on the nerves affected.
• Bad mattress – if a mattress does not support specific parts of the body and keep the spine straight, there is a greater risk of developing back pain.

Everyday activities or poor posture.

Back pain can also be the result of some everyday activity or poor posture. Examples include:

• Bending awkwardly
• Pushing something
• Pulling something
• Carrying something
• Lifting something
• Standing for long periods
• Bending down for long periods
• Twisting
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Muscle tension
• Over-stretching
• Straining the neck forward, such as when driving or using a computer
• Long driving sessions without a break, even when not hunched

Risk factors

A risk factor is something that increases the likelihood of developing a condition or disease. For example, obesity significantly raises the risk of developing diabetes type 2. Therefore, obesity is a risk factor for diabetes type 2.

The following factors are linked to a higher risk of developing low back pain:

• A mentally stressful job
• Pregnancy – pregnant women are much more likely to get back pain
• A sedentary lifestyle
• Age – older adults are more susceptible than young adults or children
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Gender – back pain is more common among females than males
• Obesity and overweight
• Smoking
• Strenuous physical exercise (especially if not done properly)
• Strenuous physical work.

Signs and symptoms

A symptom is something that the patient feels and reports, while a sign is something other people, such as the doctor detect. For example, pain may be a symptom while a rash may be a sign.

The main symptom of back pain is, as the name suggests, an ache or pain anywhere on the back, and sometimes all the way down to the buttocks and legs. Some back issues can cause pain in other parts of the body, depending on the nerves affected.

In most cases, signs, and symptoms clear up on their own within a short period.

If any of the following signs or symptoms accompany back pain, people should see their doctor:

• Weight loss
• Elevated body temperature (fever)
• Inflammation (swelling) of the back
• Persistent back pain – lying down or resting does not help
• Pain in the legs
• Pain reaches the knees
• A recent injury, blow, or trauma to your back
• Urinary incontinence – you pee unintentionally (even in small amounts)
• Difficulty urinating – passing urine is hard
• Fecal incontinence – you lose your bowel control (you poo unintentionally)
• Numbness around the genitals
• Numbness around the anus
• Numbness in the buttocks

According to the British National Health Service (NHS), the following groups of people should seek medical advice if they experience back pain:

• People aged less than 20 and more than 55 years
• Patients who have been taking steroids for a few months
• Drug abusers
• Patients with cancer
• Patients who have had cancer
• Patients with depressed immune systems

Further Reading at:

*Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider.
Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.
The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a diagnosis, treatment, or prescription of any kind. The decision to use, or not to use, any information is the sole responsibility of the reader. These statements are not expressions of legal opinion relative to the scope of practice, medical diagnosis, or medical advice, nor do they represent an endorsement of any product, company, or specific massage therapy technique, modality, or approach. All trademarks, registered trademarks, brand names, registered brand names, logos, and company logos referenced in this post are the property of their owners.