The most common causes of upper back pain, middle back pain, and lower back pain are due to strained muscles and ligaments. These can result from:

• Heavy or improper lifting
• Abrupt or awkward movements
• Poor posture
• Sitting at a desk for too long and too often
• Muscle spasms

However, there are numerous other spinal pain causes that result from structural issues in the thoracic and lumbar spine, including:

• Disc herniation: Between each vertebrae in the spine is an intervertebral disc. When the outer layer of the disc weakens, the inner layer can rupture, resulting in inflammation and irritation of surrounding spinal nerves, which can cause pain.
• Disc bulging: Similar to disc herniation, when the inner layer of the disc bulges outward, it can result in increased pressure on surrounding spinal nerves, which can cause pain.
• Sciatica: A herniated or bulging disc may create a sharp, shooting pain that travels from the back, through the buttock and down the back of the leg.
• Arthritis: Osteoarthritis is a common condition that can affect multiple joints of the body, including the joints of the spine. When this happens, the degeneration that occurs can lead to pain.
• Abnormal curvatures of the spine: Scoliosis and kyphosis are two types of abnormal spinal curvatures that can result in pain.
• Osteoporosis: This condition can lead to a weakening of the bones that make up the spine, which increases the risk of compression fractures. When this type of fracture occurs, pain can result.

Pain felt in the back is a very common condition, experienced by many adults in the U.S. This type of pain can be acute or chronic in nature, and symptoms can vary in severity, ranging from mild to severe. This type of pain can be debilitating and can have a detrimental impact on a person’s personal and professional life. There are a variety of effective treatment options available to pain sufferers, ranging from conservative treatment methods including analgesic and anti-inflammatory medications to physical therapy, chiropractic care, biofeedback training, and acupuncture. Additional treatment options include epidural steroid injections and facet joint injections. For patients who have pain that is unresponsive to conservative treatment options, surgery may be recommended.