What could be causing that pain in the center of your back

Do you have a persistent, nagging pain in the center of your back that has limited your ability to perform even the most routine tasks? You’d be one of the nearly 16 million adults in the United States who experience chronic back pain that reduces their ability to carry out daily activities. If you haven’t yet identified the source of that pain in the center of your back, read through some potential causes and learn how physical therapy treatment may work best for you.

What are some of the top causes of pain in the center of your back?

There are several reasons why someone might experience pain in the center of their back. Some of the most common causes of middle back pain include:

• Herniated discs — Herniated discs, also commonly known as spinal disc herniation, occur when the rubbery discs in between the spinal vertebrae leak out from their original place. A protective outer layer contains the soft nucleus of the discs in the spinal column. Sometimes, these outer layers develop cracks through which the soft nucleus can slip. In many cases, there aren’t any noticeable symptoms when the herniation occurs, but this isn’t always true for everyone. It can cause pain, numbness, and tingling in an arm, leg, neck, and even in the back when the nucleus pushes up against a nerve somewhere in the body. 
• Pinched nerve — Pinched nerves, also called compressed nerves, happen when tissue in the body, whether a bone, cartilage, tendon or muscle, pushes on a nearby nerve. Pinched nerves can result from bone spurs, muscle imbalances, herniated discs and other conditions. When someone’s nerve becomes compressed, they usually experience symptoms, including radiating pain, tingling, numbness, and burning sensations. Even if a nerve has been pinched in one region, it can lead a person to experience symptoms in a separate body area. 
• Poor posture — It’s possible that the source of the pain in the center of your back is rooted in poor posture. Incorrect posture can place stress on the muscles, ligaments, tendons and spinal column. It can lead to imbalances in muscle strength, strains, sprains, and even pinched nerves. Many people who work at a desk for long hours or frequently play video games in front of a screen report problems caused by poor posture. 
• Muscle strain — Overuse or strain of a muscle in the back can commonly cause pain in the center of your back. Overuse can occur due to weakness as well as strenuous or repetitive motions/activities. Many people who have physically demanding jobs experience this type of injury. 

How can a physical therapist help someone with pain in the center of their back?

Physical therapy can help relieve pain in the center of the back. Here’s how a physical therapist may help a patient experiencing one of the conditions above:

• Relieve compression on the nerves — If a herniated disc or pinched nerve is the root of the chronic pain in the center of your back, a physical therapist will likely be able to help. A licensed specialist can use various techniques to relieve pressure on your affected nerve during physical therapy. They’ll first identify the type of tissue most likely pressing against the nerve, like a ball of tense muscle or an inflamed tendon. Front there, they’ll use instruments and exercises to release the pressure. 
• Improve posture — An additional way physical therapy can improve pain in the center of a patient’s back is through posture improvements. Fortunately, many cases of poor posture can be helped with an experienced physical therapist. Over multiple sessions, stretching and strengthening exercises can help you improve your posture. You can practice how to sit and stand without placing unnecessary pressure on your middle back.

Advent Physical Therapy can identify the pain in the center of your back and treat it

If persistent pain that occurs in the center of your back has been affecting your ability to perform daily activities, our physical therapists can help. At Advent Physical Therapy, we use a variety of evidence-based PT treatments, like manual therapy and IASTM, to help our patients with middle back pain improve their physical condition.

Our patients’ health and wellness are our first priority at Advent Physical Therapy. We understand how much getting back your mobility to perform daily tasks means to you. When it comes to improving your middle back pain, we can help. Our clinic has some of the best physical therapists who want to help you return to comfortably performing daily activities. We’re a team-oriented group of professionals who work with each of our patients to create productive outcomes.

We can create a treatment plan to optimize your health even years from now. We value building relationships with our patients and helping them prevent future issues from occurring. We can provide a free screening to assess your health.

Call us or request an appointment today to address the source of the pain in the center of your back.