Upper back pain (and middle back pain) occurs anywhere from the base of your neck to the bottom of your rib cage. Thoracic spine refers to the top and middle part of your back. There are 12 little bones, or vertebrae, in your thoracic spine. The vertebrae that make up your backbone.
Your thoracic spine has vertebrae that are each attached to two ribs. Your sternum, a long, flat bone running along the middle of your chest, is reached by your ribs as they wrap around your body. Your rib cage is made up of this.
Additionally, each vertebra in your upper back is separated by disks. As you move, these disks cushion the impact. Your upper back also has a lot of ligaments and muscles that keep your spine in place. Upper back pain can be traced to different medical issues or injuries to the bones, muscles, disks and ligaments in your upper back.
Upper back pain is not as common as neck pain or low back pain. This is because there is not a lot of flexing that occurs in the upper area of your back compared to your neck and lower back. The bones in your upper back and your ribs work together to keep the back stable. They also work to protect vital organs in your body such as your lungs and heart.
Injury
Upper back pain is more likely to occur in people who have been in car accidents or other types of accidents. Pain from injuries that may be treated can frequently continue far longer than the healing process. Don’t put off seeing a doctor or chiropractor [1] if you have upper back discomfort after an accident. Instead, immediately visit your doctor for a checkup even if you are not feeling any pain at that time.