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While upper back pain is not so common, its occurrence brings in with great pain and discomfort which you want to treat for immediate relief. A lot of causes have been identified triggering this particular condition and each of these need to be carefully diagnosed and treatment has to be specific to the nature or cause of the ailment. Home remedies are also available for mechanical causes such as bad posture, strain or under use. For treatment, though, some of the standard measures include:
* Non strenuous exercise:Immediate bed rest is normally prescribed with the application of ice packs. On medication part, aspirin or any other type of non steroidal and anti inflammatory to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Once the inflammation has subsided, heat can be applied which has a soothing effect and restore the properties to help with muscle and connective tissues. Contrary to popular belief, long term bed rest is inadvisable since lack of exercise is one of the common reasons for this condition. Physical therapy is usually conducted with massages, ultrasound, whirlpool baths and heat application in a controlled way and customized exercise programs to help patients regain their muscle functionality. Strengthening back and abdominal muscles also helps in stabilizing the spine and further injury can be prevented by lifting and stretching exercises and techniques.
* Medications: Over-the-counter pain killers and muscle relaxants are normally prescribed in case of severe back ache. Some of the muscle relaxant medication may have some side effects such as nausea, drowsiness or disorientation. However, these medications are only recommended for very short durations. A shot of a local anesthetic into the muscle tissue or point where the pain is severe may also be done as part of treatment. Anti depressant medication in low doses may be prescribed sometimes. Transcutanous electrical nerve stimulator or TENS method which uses electrodes taped to the body to pass mild electric current to the effected area to relieve pain. With adequate training, patients can use these methods themselves which help relieve a strained back or moderately injured backs.
* Surgery: In case of extreme damage, surgical procedure may be used. The nerve which is inflicting the pain may have to be surgically severed to prevent it from transmitting the pain to the brain. Rhizotomy can also be used to correct symptoms triggered by friction of the different surfaces of the spinal joint. However, herniated discs cannot be addressed by surgery.
Some of the home remedies that you may try for pain relief include self massages, improving posture by keeping your head high, exercising your upper back specifically and for women the use of suitable undergarments such as sports bra for better support would also help in alleviating the pain. However, the best remedy for any disease is to lead a healthy lifestyle which would lessen your chances of being prone to these kinds of ailments in the first place.
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