Navigating Upper Left Back Pain During Pregnancy: Causes and Relief Tips
How can upper back pain on the left side be relieved?
At least seven people out of 10 experience upper back pain more often than not. Typically, the reason behind this is poor sitting posture and poor lifestyle. For pregnant women, the changes in their hormonal level also result in upper back pain.
In short, the reason for pain can vary from person to person. In this article, we have explored the various reasons for upper left back pain and how to reduce them.
So, keep reading.
Understanding Upper Left Back Pain
Upper back pain on the left side of the body is shared among thousands worldwide. Whether working in front of a computer for hours or an athlete who has to constantly take your body to a new limit, it’s common to experience pain in this part of the body.
It can happen for many reasons. Maintaining a poor body posture for a long time throughout the day, discomfort of arthritis, or facing muscle strain due to intense physical activities can cause this pain.
The reasons can be plenty. Understanding your unique reason for upper back pain on the left side is critical. Different reasons can manifest in different types of symptoms affecting your upper back in different cases; lifestyle changes and moderate medication can help alleviate the pain.
What Does Upper Back Left Side Pain Feel Like?
This pain can feel like a dull ache on the upper left side of the back. The intensity of the pain can vary and can feel like a sharp sensation or a burning pain. Muscle tightness or a feeling of stiffness or soreness is also common.
The pain can be localized, and the soreness usually radiates from a deep sensation along the nerve. In the end, it can worsen with different movements or activities.
How is Upper Back Left Side Pain Different from General Back Pain?
General back pain typically arises from medical conditions, injuries, and some medical conditions.
On the other hand, upper back pain on the left side of the back happens due to spine-related issues. Sometimes, it can also be not related to the back at all.
Different organs, like the pancreas and kidney, can cause pain, which might radiate up to the left side of the upper back. Such pain depends on the cause that makes these pains available.
Again, the type of pain affects your body differently based on the various causes that make the pain appear. Sometimes, it feels like a dull ache or a sharp pain.
Causes of Upper Back Pain on the Left Side
There are several reasons why one may experience upper back and left-side pain. For some, it can be due to poor posture, herniation of the disk, medical reasons, or cardiovascular and respiratory causes.
The following are the major reasons for back pain on the left side –
Poor posture
Poor body posture is one of the main reasons for upper back pain on the left side. Sometimes, you may experience muscle strain, due to overexertion, improper lifting, and sudden movements. Holding a poor posture for a prolonged period can also result in upper back pain on the left side of the back.
Disk Herniation
The intervertebral discs work as cushioning between the vertebrates. The discs can slip or herniate, making them press against the nerves. As a result, it can cause upper back pain. Nerves are pinched due to different factors triggering pain, which radiates or gives a tingling sensation or numbness in the upper back area.
Injury of Structural Issue
Injury is also another common cause of back pain on the left side. Sometimes, trauma caused by muscle strains, ligament sprains, and also fractures in the upper left side can cause upper left back pain. In addition, other structural abnormalities such as scoliosis, abnormal spine curvature, spinal stenosis, and spinal canal narrowing contribute to the upper back left side pain.
Medical Reasons
The upper left back pain also happens because of different musculoskeletal and internal medical conditions. Such manifestation happens due to inflammation and discomfort in the upper back joints. Other internal issues such as digestive problems, kidney infections, and lung infections can lead to upper back left-side pain.
Cardiovascular and respiratory factors
Sometimes, it’s heart-related conditions and angina, or also heart attack, can cause upper back pain on the left side. In addition, respiratory problems such as pleurisy and lung infection are also reasons for the upper back left-side pain. An inflammation of the lining that surrounds the lung can also cause pain on the upper left side of the back.
Stress
Emotional stress often comes out as tightness around the back area and causes discomfort around the shoulder region. Sometimes, chronic stress also exacerbates muscle strain. As a result, it develops into back pain.
Hormonal Changes
When the level of hormones in the body fluctuates, it can cause upper back left-side pain. This is a concern many women face during menstruation or pregnancy. When the level of hormones fluctuates in the body, it leads to muscle tension and causes ligament laxity in the spine. The overall result of such changes leads to discomfort around the upper back left side area.
Upper Back Left Side Pain Symptoms
How do you trace the pain in the upper back left side? Here are several symptoms most people have in common when suffering from such pain –
Discomfort
The first and most common symptom of upper back left-side pain is discomfort on the left side of the upper back region of the body. This pan starts as a dull ache, which can feel like a sharp sensation later.
Affecting Areas Around Upper Back
The pain doesn’t only stay on the left side of the upper back. It can extend from there and lead up to the surrounding areas, such as the neck, shoulder, and arm.
Stiffness
The left upper back of the body becomes stiff after staying inactive or prolonged rest.
Difficulty Moving
Moving the upper left back becomes difficult. This, again, is due to the stiffness and muscle strain that happens after prolonged hours of poor posture maintenance.
Painful When Touched
Another symptom of such pain is high sensitivity to touch or pressure. Any touch and pressure activate the pain when the upper back area feels stiff.
Loss of Strength
Due to the involvement of nerves, there’s a potential chance of loss of strength. Potential loss of strength in muscle due to nerve involvement.
Pain Worsening During Deep Breaths
When you try to inhale deep breaths, the pain increases exponentially. Whether you are trying to cough or take deep breaths, the pain increases.
Upper Left Back Pain: Tips & Lifestyle Changes
Physical Therapy and Exercise: several exercises and physical therapy can help alleviate upper back left-side pain. If it’s happening due to bad posture during sleep or prolonged sitting in front of computer screens, exercise can help reduce it.
Heat and Cold Therapy: This is another effective way to reduce left-side upper back pain. Heat can help reduce the pain and the stiffness around the back. On the other hand, the cold can reduce pain and inflammation.
Gentle Physical Activities: Sometimes gentle activities like walking, sitting, and lightweight lifting can minimize the strain.
Wearing Supportive Garments: Wearing supportive garments like belts and abdominal support garments can also help reduce pain around the upper back.
Massage and Chiropractic Care: Chiropractic care can also help reduce pain around the neck.
Ergonomic Adjustments: If you are going to work for longer hours, it’s best to adjust your work environment and bring in ergonomic setups. Adjust the seat height and your desk to suit your best.
Sleeping on Your Back: changing your sleeping posture is also part of the recovery journey. If your upper back pain occurs due to bad sleeping posture, then this is what you need to work on.
Identifying When to Seek Medical Attention
It’s common to have upper back pain due to bad posture and other lifestyle-related issues. Usually, the pain should go away on its own. If it doesn’t, slight changes in lifestyle and mild medication (of course, prescribed) can help reduce the pain.
However, at times, upper back pain can reach an intense level. If it’s getting in the way of your daily activities and doesn’t go away with simple lifestyle changes or massage, it’s best to seek medical help. Only a doctor can help identify the reason behind such pain.
Red Flags for Serious Conditions
Furthermore, if your pain is expanding to other areas like the neck, arm, or shoulder, it’s best to seek medical help. In some cases, upper back left-side pain accompanies weakness, a tingling sensation, or breathing difficulties. Other systematic signs like weight loss and fever may also accompany such pain. These are alarming signs under which you must seek medical help.
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