Why Does My Upper Back Hurt When I Breathe?

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Orthopedic Causes of Upper Back Pain When Breathing

Have you ever suffered from back pain and wondered, “Why does my upper back hurt when I breathe?” Understanding upper back discomfort requires years of study and practice due to its varied causes. To resolve it, start by understanding your anatomy. Upper back pain can result from fixable issues or indicate serious problems.

Visit a Dallas orthopedic specialist to determine your condition. At SPORT Orthopedics + Physical Therapy, we offer orthopedic treatments and physical therapy in Dallas to help you get back to your activities. Call 469-200-2832 or fill out our online form to schedule an appointment.

Why Does My Upper Back Hurt?

Generally, upper back pain comes from injuries to the soft tissue, such as muscle strains or sprains. Poor posture or looking downward for long lengths of time also causes muscle tension in the area, which leads to pain. Unfortunately, back pain is extremely common for many people holding many different types of jobs. The following list includes common activities and behaviors that often lead to upper back pain.

• Bad posture
• Looking downward while texting
• Twisting the back
• Neck injuries such as whiplash
• Improper lifting technique
• Overuse
• Repetitive movements
• Contact sports
• Carrying a load that is too heavy
• Wearing a backpack that is too heavy

Especially in older patients, this list elongates even more. Specifically, we look for signs of osteoporosis, compression fractures, or conditions such as multiple myeloma or lymphoma. However, thoracic spine (upper middle spine) issues aren’t relegated to the elderly population. While younger patients often experience a simple strain, we often examine patients to rule out the following problems.

• Different forms of arthritis
• Inflammatory conditions of the spine
• Vertebral fractures
• Osteoporosis
• Herniated discs
• Spinal stenosis
  • Cervical stenosis
  • Lumbar stenosis
• Cancers that affect the spine
• Sciatic nerve pain
• Lumbar spondylosis

What Causes Upper Back Pain When Breathing?

Upper back pain while breathing can stem from various causes like infections, injuries, or heart issues, warranting medical attention if the cause is unclear. Such discomfort may signal significant health problems and could indicate pleurisy, a heart attack, a broken vertebra, or muscular strain.

Difficulty breathing alongside upper back pain should prompt a doctor's visit due to potential serious underlying issues. Shallow breathing can lead to oxygen deprivation, impacting long-term health. Below, we list the most common issues leading to upper back pain when breathing.

• Pleurisy
• Muscle strain
• Vertebral fracture
• Panic disorder
• Scoliosis
• Arrhythmia or heart attack
• Chest infection

What Causes Upper Back Pain Between Shoulder Blades?

Interscapular discomfort, often called shoulder blade pain, has various causes, with muscular strain being common. However, it could also indicate serious conditions like a heart attack or lung cancer. Identifying the underlying cause is crucial as pain serves as a warning sign.

Pain between the shoulder blades can originate from structures around them or from distant areas, known as "referred pain." Some of the causes of pain in between shoulder blades include the following.

• Muscle strain
• Trauma to the area
• Bulging or herniated disc
• Arthritis
• Heart attack
• Cancer
• Gallbladder disease
• Myofascial pain syndrome
• Acid reflux
• Scoliosis
• Aortic dissection
• Pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs)
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Compression fractures
• Shingles
• Epidural anesthesia

How Do I Know If My Back Pain Is Serious?

Is back or neck discomfort a symptom of anything more serious? Absolutely. While back discomfort is common and typically harmless and self-limiting, some signs and symptoms may suggest a more serious medical issue that needs further assessment and treatment. We’ve compiled a list of red flags to keep in mind while assessing the severity of your back pain.

• Fevers
• Sharp pain
• Weight loss you didn’t plan
• Bloody urine or stool
• Numbness or weakness in legs
• Difficulty or inability to have a bowel movement or to urinate
• Loss of control of the bladder or bowel
• Pain during the night
• Balance issues
• Chest pain
• Lung pain
• Other symptoms

If you experience any of the above symptoms along with your back pain, seek immediate medical attention.

Orthopedic Causes of Upper Back Pain When Breathing

Upper back pain when breathing can stem from various orthopedic causes. Some of the most common orthopedic conditions that can cause upper back pain when breathing include the following.

Herniated Disc

Herniated discs in the thoracic spine, the upper back region, can compress nerves and lead to pain that worsens with breathing movements.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease, can affect the joints between the vertebrae, resulting in inflammation and discomfort, especially during breathing.

Muscle Injury

Muscle injuries, such as strains or sprains, can occur due to sudden movements, overexertion, or trauma, leading to localized pain exacerbated by breathing.

Poor Posture

Poor posture, including slouching or hunching over, can strain the muscles and ligaments in the upper back, causing pain that may intensify with breathing.

Improper Lifting or Carrying

Improper lifting or carrying of heavy objects can strain the muscles and ligaments in the upper back, leading to acute or sudden pain aggravated by breathing.

Repetitive Motion Injuries

Repetitive motion injuries from activities like lifting, reaching, or twisting can cause strain and inflammation in the upper back muscles, resulting in pain exacerbated by breathing.

Spinal Fracture

In severe cases, spinal fractures can also cause upper back pain when breathing. Spinal fractures, although less common in the upper back, can occur due to trauma or osteoporosis, leading to severe pain that may worsen with breathing movements.

Scoliosis

Scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine, can cause asymmetrical strain on the muscles and joints of the upper back, resulting in discomfort that may be exacerbated by breathing efforts.

Types of Back Pain

Understanding how back pain is characterized might help you figure out what to do about it. The majority of back pain patients fall into one of two categories: acute or chronic.

Acute Back Pain

If your back pain is severe, it’s likely that it started suddenly. Acute back pain can be caused by a variety of factors, including stress, intense activity, an uncomfortable movement, or moving something incorrectly. The majority of back pain is classified as acute.

The discomfort from acute back pain usually lasts no more than six weeks. And, in the vast majority of cases, the underlying source of the pain isn’t a significant or long-term issue.

Chronic Back Pain

On the other hand, chronic back discomfort can be harmful. Chronic pain is dangerous because the symptoms are severe enough to have a long-term impact on your health, mobility, and quality of life.

Back problems can strike abruptly, but it generally develops over time and lasts longer than six weeks. Chronic back pain can also be recurring, meaning that it will go away for a while then return on a regular basis.

A fresh injury can produce chronic pain, but the true reason is generally underlying problems. One of the most prevalent causes is muscle deconditioning (when your back lacks strength and stability).

Symptoms of Back Pain

Acute and chronic pain can have very similar symptoms. The following are some of the signs and common symptoms of back pain.

• Shooting, burning, or aching pain that persists or returns despite the use of home treatments such as ice, over-the-counter medicines, massage, or physical therapy
• Stiffness or tightness, especially after extended durations of lying, sitting, or standing
• Difficulty sleeping
• Weakness in the lower extremities, like numbness or tingling

When Should I Seek Treatment for Back Pain?

If back pain persists for over two weeks without relief, seeking medical help is advisable, whether it's chronic or acute. Starting with physical therapy can provide tailored strengthening and mobility routines.

Acute pain often resolves within weeks, but chronic pain typically requires medical intervention, as home remedies offer only temporary relief without addressing underlying causes. When surgery is considered, choosing the right surgeon is crucial. For information on whether you should choose a neurosurgeon vs orthopedic surgeon, read our related blog.

Causes of Upper Back Pain When Breathing

When you feel upper back pain when breathing, it can be confusing and frustrating. Work with your doctor to figure out what’s causing your pain, which might be one of the following.

• Injury
• Pulmonary embolism
• Pneumonia
• Lung cancer
• Scoliosis
• Problematic kyphosis
• Osteoporosis

Risk Factors for Back Pain

Back discomfort may affect anybody, even toddlers and teenagers. These variables may increase your chances of experiencing back discomfort.

• Age: Back discomfort becomes increasingly frequent as you age, beginning around the age of 30 or 40.
• Lack of exercise: Back discomfort can be caused by weak, underused muscles in the back and abdomen.
• Excess weight: Your back is put under additional strain if you are overweight.
• Disease: Back discomfort can be caused by some forms of arthritis and cancer.
• Poor lifting techniques: Back discomfort might result from using your back instead of your legs.
• Smoking: Back discomfort is more common in smokers. This might be due to the fact that smoking causes increased coughing, which can lead to herniated disks. Smoking can also reduce blood flow to the spine, putting you at risk for osteoporosis.

How to Prevent Back Pain

By improving your physical condition and understanding and practicing appropriate body mechanics, you may be able to avoid or prevent back discomfort. Keep the following in mind to maintain a healthy back.

• Exercise regularly: Low-impact aerobic exercises, or those that don’t strain or shock your back, can help you build back strength and endurance, as well as improve the function of your muscles. Swimming and walking are both wonderful options. Discuss the hobbies you might want to attempt with your doctor.
• Build up your flexibility and muscle strength: Exercises that build your core, such as abdominal and back muscle strengthening, help train these muscles to function together.
• Maintain a proper weight: Obesity puts a pressure on the back muscles. If you’re overweight, losing weight might help you avoid back discomfort.
• Stop smoking: Smoking raises your chances of developing low back discomfort. Because the risk rises with the amount of cigarettes smoked each day, stopping should help lower it.

How to Diagnose Upper Back Pain When Breathing

Your back will be examined, and your ability to take deep breaths, sit, stand, walk, and lift your legs will be assessed. Your doctor may also ask you to score your pain on a scale of one to ten and discuss how well you’re managing your discomfort.

These tests can reveal the source of your discomfort, how much you can move before pain causes you to stop, and whether you have muscular spasms. They can also aid in the elimination of more severe causes of back pain.

If your doctor suspects a specific ailment is causing your back discomfort, he or she may request one or more of the following tests.

• X-ray: These scans reveal how your bones are aligned, as well as if you have arthritis or fractured bones. However, these scans will not reveal any issues with your spinal cord, muscles, nerves, or disks on their own.
• MRI or CT scan: Herniated disks, as well as issues with bones, muscles, tissue, tendons, nerves, ligaments, and blood vessels, can be discovered with these scans.
• Blood test: These might enable you to figure out if you have an infection or another disease that’s causing your discomfort.
• Bone scan: A bone scan may be performed in rare situations to check for bone cancers or compression fractures caused by osteoporosis.
• Nerve studies: The electrical impulses produced by your nerves and the reactions of your muscles are measured using electromyography (EMG). This test can determine if nerve compression is the result of herniated disks or a narrowing of the spinal canal (spinal stenosis).

How to Treat Pain in Between Shoulder Blades

The majority of back pain improves after a month of home therapy. Back pain, on the other hand, is a complicated problem that affects everyone differently. Many people’s discomfort lasts a few months, but only a few people experience chronic, severe pain. You may just require over-the-counter pain medications and the use of heat. Bed rest is not advised.

Continue your activities to the extent that you are able. Light exercise, such as walking and daily activities, are good options. Stop doing things that make you hurt, but don’t stop doing things because you’re afraid of getting hurt. If home remedies fail after a few weeks, your doctor may prescribe stronger medicines or other treatments.

You can even use heat therapy or cold therapy depending on your specific needs. If you’re wondering “Is heat or ice better for back pain?”, we answer that question in our related blog.

Physical Therapy

Exercises to promote flexibility, strengthen your back and abdominal muscles, and improve your posture can be taught by a physical therapist. The practice of these strategies on a regular basis can help prevent discomfort from recurring. Physical therapists will also educate you on how to alter your motions during a back pain episode to minimize flare-ups of pain while staying active.

Surgery and Other Options

• Cortisone shots: If previous treatments don’t work and your pain is radiating down your leg, your doctor may inject cortisone, a powerful anti-inflammatory medicine, along with a numbing agent into the area around your spinal cord. The pain relief from a cortisone injection helps to reduce inflammation around the nerve roots, but it generally only lasts a month or two.
• Radiofrequency neurotomy: A tiny needle is put through your skin such that the tip is near the region causing your discomfort in this treatment. Radio waves are transmitted via the needle, damaging surrounding nerves and interfering with pain signal transmission to the brain.
• Implanted nerve stimulators: Electrical impulses can be sent to specific nerves using devices implanted beneath the skin to suppress pain signals.
• Surgery: You may benefit from surgery if you have relentless discomfort with radiating leg pain or growing muscle weakening caused by nerve compression. These operations are generally reserved for discomfort that hasn’t responded to prior treatments and is caused by structural issues such as constriction of the spine or a herniated disk.

Contact SPORT Orthopedics + Physical Therapy Today

At SPORT Orthopedics + Physical Therapy, our specialists handle a variety of problems and conditions resulting from a variety of causes. If you’re looking to treat your injuries and get back to your active lifestyle, we’re here for you. Our skilled orthopedic specialists and physical therapists will work with you to achieve as fast and comfortable a recovery as possible. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 469-200-2832 today.