Pain in the upper back: 5 tips from the osteopath

Do you have pain in the upper back? The osteopath Adrien Ezine offers you 5 tips to get better ...

Pain in the upper back can be linked to many health problems. However, according to the osteopath Adrien Ezine, in most cases, this pain is mainly of mechanical origin: "when you carry a heavy load with bad posture or you do not stand straight, a muscle pain can appear, "he explains.

Pain in the upper back should never be ignored: "When the pain is dull, you may be tempted to say to yourself" It does not matter, I can live with it ": it's a bad idea because it hurts back can quickly degenerate - for example cervical spondylosis, "says the specialist. In some cases more serious, a pain in the upper back can even reveal the presence of a pathology: no question of "do with"!

Pain in the upper back: where does it come from?
When the pain is mechanical, it is usually caused by the prolonged contraction of a muscle (trapezius, large dorsal, rhomboid ...): this quasi-permanent muscle tension usually stems from poor posture.

"There is often pain in the upper back in young parents who are often bent forward (to give bath, for example, or to carry Baby), explains Adrien Ezine.The muscles of the upper back are obliged to to contract to keep the spine moving forward and, in the long run, it causes persistent pain. "

The same goes for women who wear a (heavy) handbag every day: "the muscles of the upper back are forced to be contracted all day long to resist the compression due to the weight of the bag," says the specialist.

Warning: sometimes, the pain in the upper back is not mechanical. "Pain in the upper back associated with difficulty breathing and / or feeling of tightness must be the subject of a doctor's appointment: there is a risk of pulmonary or cardiac pathology" warns Adrien Ezine. Same reaction if the pain occurs suddenly after a coughing or sneezing fit, especially in the menopausal woman: it can be a vertebral fracture.

Last on the dock: stress. "A stressed person breathes badly: the low respiratory amplitude affects the ribs, the back muscles ... and this can end with pain in the upper back, not to mention that in case of stress, some people move hunched or shoulders forward, which aggravates muscle tension. "

I have pain in my upper back: 5 solutions to relieve pain
If you are very stressed everyday, consider relaxation techniques: mindfulness meditation, sophrology, laughter yoga ... "There are many apps to learn about cardiac coherence, a technique of relaxation that gives good results. results "adds Adrien Ezine.
If there is pain in the upper back with intense stress, test this exercise: stand up with your back straight and your shoulders relaxed, inhale deeply through your nose for 3 seconds, then exhale for a long time through your mouth for 7 seconds. Repeat twice.
If you often have upper back pain during the day, do this stretch each morning for 30 seconds: get on all fours and put your buttocks on your heels. Then stretch out your arms and try to fetch in front of you as far as possible by breathing deeply.
"If you have a horizontal bar (or a rim over a door), you can also hang there for a few seconds, arms stretched out and knees up: it's a great exercise for stretch the muscles of the upper back. "

From the first pains (not acute and in the absence of other symptoms), make an appointment with an osteopath. If the pain persists after 2 sessions, a doctor's appointment is required.