Treating Middle Back Pain
Middle back pain, also sometimes known as thoracic back pain, isn’t as common a complaint as lower back pain, but it does indeed occur, usually in the area where the rib cage connects to the chest area of the spine. Just like other types of back pain, it can range from a little bit annoying to excruciating and can have a huge effect on an individual’s job, activity, and lifestyle.
Like lower back pain, middle back pain might be caused by lifting heavy objects or by performing repeated motions that put a strain on that portion of the torso. Osteoporosis is also a disorder that may affect the middle back as it makes the spinal column quite vulnerable to structural failure.
Injured disc issues are common reasons for uncomfortable middle back pain. When a disc is injured and the nucleus seeps through the weakened point of its tough outer casing, pain is inevitable. This might be caused by a sudden trauma, such as a fall or automobile accident, or may be a result of disc degeneration. Spinal stenosis, often a result of aging, could also be the culprit for middle back pain, and infections such as spondylitis may cause inflammation that triggers pain in that portion of the back.
If you’ve treated individuals with middle back pain, you’ve probably encountered a variety of symptoms among those patients, including:
- Stiffness (especially upon waking)
- Weakness
- Numbness or tenderness
- Shooting pains
- Muscle spasms
- Headache
- Accompanying shoulder, neck, or hip pain
With a list of symptoms that long – and more – it’s no wonder patients with middle back pain are searching for a solution, of which there are several. In some cases, non-surgical treatment options are possible while other patients may require a minimally-invasive surgical procedure, depending on the diagnosis.
Of course, once you impart the diagnosis to your patient, they’re going to want to develop an understanding of their situation and learn more about the procedures recommended for pain relief. You can do that by having one or more Dynamic Disc Designs (DDD) models on hand, which are the perfect tool for explaining any of the diseases or disorders described above.
Models like the top-selling Professional LxH Lumbar Model make it easy to understand a variety of middle back pain issues, including spinal stenosis, disc degeneration, and more. This model – and others by DDD – is fully dynamic so it moves just like a real spine. This accurate movement is a result of extensive research by creator Dr. Jerome Fryer, a chiropractor and long-time spine expert. Dr. Fryer created his models with patient education in mind, intent on making his own patients – and yours – comfortable with his procedures and recommendations.
DDD makes lumbar models with a variety of different features and the experts there can help you determine which are best for your type of practice and your budget. Models can also be arranged in cost-saving “bundles” for those requiring several different models.
“I work in a pain management center. I use the Professional LxH Disc Model daily to explain any number of spine pathologies to my patients. The dynamic nature improves patient understanding and engagement in care, which is essential for compliance and therapy success. I have 3 other spine models in my office, and use the LXH the most, by far.”
– Amber Dewey, NP-C
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