Millions of people suffer from neck pain and upper back pain at some point during their lifetime. The pain can range from a dull ache to severe and debilitating. There are many causes of neck pain and upper back pain so you should always seek medical attention to find out the cause of [...]

A bulging disc is when the spongy material between vertebrae extends out. It’s usually caused by too much pressure that’s been put on the spine causing excessive compression. There are lots of nerves that run out from the disc, so when the disc bulges near one of the nerves, pain develops. The [...]

A common medication prescription given for back pain is for muscle relaxants. Muscle relaxants work well when your muscles are so tense they cause back pain. What I didn’t realize is that science doesn’t know for sure how muscle relaxants work on the muscles. They just know they can calm your nerves [...]

I like to try alternative forms of back pain treatment whenever possible. Sometimes, the familiar stand-bys like analgesics or ice packs just don’t do the job of relieving the back pain. Before I’d even consider having surgery, I’d look into all forms of treatment including acupuncture.
Acupuncture has been around for over 5,000 years. [...]

Often called thoracic pain or middle back pain, people experience upper back pain between the top of their lumbar spine and the base of their neck. A person’s upper spine is very stable and strong because it has to support their upper body weight. It also anchors the rib cage stably and firmly, [...]

When you have back pain it feels like anything you do is going to be the final straw. Even if it’s not back breaking labor, it still hurts. The best way to deal with back pain that persists but is obviously not due to vertebrae or disc problems is to exercise. If [...]

Usually, if the doctor decides he or she needs to actually look at the bones of the spine, an X-ray is ordered. But even if you get an x-ray that doesn’t mean you’ll suddenly have all the answers. The x-ray can only show bones and not muscles, tendons or ligaments. So if [...]

Pilates is a great exercise form that combines the best of both Eastern and Western techniques. Pilates uses exercises, breathing and stretching to keep the muscles strong and limber. If you’re battling back pain of any kind, a program of pilates may be exactly what you need to follow in order to build [...]

An injured upper back or thoracic back caused by stress, overwork, trauma, irritated muscles, lack of back strength, and poor posture can cause you from mild to severe pain and effect the way you live your life. Some people try to ignore their back pain and continue doing the things they normally do until [...]

There are plenty of wonder drugs on the market for every ailment. The new cholesterol preventing drugs are on the list of “great discoveries” – for now. Apparently drugs like Lipitor are statins, and statins can cause muscle weakness if used for long periods of time. In fact, some people are claiming they [...]