Welcome to Corrective Spinal Care of California, where your journey to a pain-free upper back begins. Our clinic stands at the forefront of treating upper back pain, a common yet often misunderstood condition that can significantly impact your daily life.
Understanding Upper Back Pain
Upper back pain, which is located in the thoracic spine, is more common now than ever. The typical sedentary American lifestyle, filled with phones, screens, and desk work, affects our posture negatively, eventually leading to chronic pain, dysfunction, and other serious health issues.
Our kids are more susceptible to these issues than we are. Their tablets, laptops, and phones, combined with oversized backpacks on their small frames, usually mean that postural problems and upper back pain are affecting our children at increasingly alarming rates.
The thoracic spine is a complex structure comprising 12 vertebrae, 12 ribs on each side, over 100 joints, and numerous muscles that hold everything together.
There should be a normal kyphosis or curvature of the mid-back, but excessive or hyperkyphosis is a significant problem. Hyperkyphosis can’t lead to serious health consequences. It’s not just limited to pain; muscle tension and burning in the upper back and scapula are also present. The majority of postal problems often seen in our grandparents are avoidable with the proper corrective chiropractic care to the spine and nervous system.
The modern medical approach to treating upper back pain typically begins with anti-inflammatory medication and muscle relaxers, followed by physical therapy, and may eventually include surgery. All of these treatments focus primarily on relieving the symptom. In contrast, corrective chiropractic care aims to correct the structural alignment of the bones in the upper back, addressing the root cause of the pain rather than just the symptoms. Corrective care chiropractors use specific spinal adjustments to correct thoracic subluxations, releasing nerve pressure and improving the alignment of the spine. Very often, this precise and straightforward approach alleviates pain in the upper back, restoring function and mobility, which is why many people seek chiropractic care as a primary option for correcting upper back pain in a non-invasive and effective way.
$149 New Patient Special
Includes Private Consultation to discuss your needs & concerns, Gentle Chiropractic Examination to find out what’s wrong, Any necessary X-rays to understand your condition fully, Report of Findings.
How Our Better, Stronger, Healthier Plan Works
1. Better
Many people seek help from a chiropractor only when they are suffering from such intense pain that it is interfering with their daily life. Chiropractic classifies treatment in this period of intense pain as relief care. The chiropractor’s focus during this period is to alleviate your symptoms. Sometimes, this will require daily visits or two to three visits per week for some time.
2. Stronger
We regard eliminating your symptoms as the easiest part of a persons care. If we stop there it’s very likely that the underlying cause of the pain (disk problem, curved spine, limited range of motion, etc.)will cause a recurrence of the condition. If you repeat the process of treating only the pain, then over time your structural problem will only worsen leading to a chronic state of pain and suffering.
3. Healthier
Once the chiropractor determines that you have fully recovered from your injury you are ready for treatment in Stage 3 – Wellness. As strange as it may seem this might well be the most important part of the entire process. Most of the injuries that people suffer that lead them to chiropractors occur because their bodies aren’t really in overall good health.
How We Treat Upper Back Pain In Escondido, CA
At Corrective Spinal Care of California, the doctors must identify the cause of upper back pain to treat it properly, as the upper back has numerous structures that can be injured, including joints, muscles, ligaments, and even discs. All of these can cause different types of pain. Our goal is to identify precisely what needs to be treated and fix that problem, which can eventually lead to the reduction or elimination of upper back pain. Utilizing the most advanced and specialized chiropractic techniques available, our doctors often correct problems that many other doctors and practitioners are unable to address.
Comprehensive Consultation and Exam
Before we can assist with your upper back pain at Corrective Spinal Care of California, we must conduct a detailed consultation, examination, and x-rays to assess the anatomy of your upper back. This specific approach ensures that we understand precisely what the problem is, rather than just focusing on the symptoms. The physical examination involves assessing spinal alignment, mobility, posture, muscle tone, and nerve function. These steps are crucial in determining the exact diagnosis, which enables us to tailor specific treatment plans that address each patient’s unique needs and requirements. And requirements Pain is a signal from the body, alerting us that something isn’t functioning correctly. When we identify the root cause of that pain signal, our goal is to restore that area to proper functioning.
Digital X-rays
At Corrective Spinal Care of California, we take standing digital X-rays to see precisely what’s going on inside. For the management of upper back pain, it is crucial to have a clear picture or blueprint of your spine. With these specific X-rays, we can detect prior injuries, abnormalities, improper biomechanics, or degeneration that may be contributing to your upper back pain. X-rays can even reveal conditions like osteoporosis, tumors, arthritis, spinal misalignment, and fractures. If your problem is not a chiropractic problem, we will refer you to the specialist necessary.
By examining your unique spinal mechanics, our chiropractors can pinpoint the exact cause of your pain. This is crucial for designing an effective treatment care plan specifically for you.
We often see patients who have consulted multiple chiropractors, physical therapists, massage therapists, and orthopedic surgeons. Sometimes, the problem of upper back pain isn’t limited to the upper back. At Corrective Spinal Care of California, we can specifically identify the root of the problem, often stemming from other areas of the body.
With modern digital X-ray technology, tiny amounts of radiation are utilized. The diagnostic benefits of digital X-ray greatly outweigh the risks. X-ray technology is a safe and invaluable method for chiropractors to diagnose and treat upper back pain. With digital X-rays, we can determine the best treatment for your specific needs. When a corrective care plan is finished, the doctors at Corrective Spinal Care of California take additional digital X-rays and compare them to the initial set. Here, we can see if we corrected the problem once and for all. Did we get to the root of your problem so that you don’t have to continue dealing with this for years to come?
Specific Chiropractic Care in Escondido, CA
Oftentimes, new patients in our clinic all describe the same thing to us. The treatment and care plans in our clinic differ from those of other chiropractors and therapists they may have visited. Specificity and science are crucial ingredients to our success. Most spinal issues are created by what’s called a subluxation, where vertebrae in the spine have become misaligned and out of place. They are unable to move correctly in relation to the other vertebrae. When that happens, nerves can become irritated and eventually lead to symptoms like pain in the upper back, pain in the arm, tight musculature, and even herniated discs.
Our goal with corrective chiropractic care is to remove any subluxation that causes pressure on the nerves and restore the proper function of each vertebra in the spine. It is a slow process, depending on the duration of the problem. Once the pressure is off the nerves, the symptoms you have been experiencing will eventually subside. The body will continue to do what it was designed to do: heal itself.
The thoracic spine is the most significant portion of your spine, a complex structure that can experience issues such as:
Muscle weakness and irritability.
Deep, aching pain
Sharp pain
Problems, breathing
Chest pain
Rib pain
Breathing issues, such as wheezing
Less lung capacity, Heart and lung problems
As we identify the correct areas of your spine with subluxation, we can help relax the stress on the joints, discs, and surrounding tissues. Muscles will then become more relaxed, with fewer tight knots, and nerves can flow and communicate with the central nervous system.
Chiropractic adjustments restore the alignment and mobility to the spine, decreasing muscle tension and restoring proper nerve flow. As your nervous system continues to improve its ability to heal and send signals, your health will continue to improve.
Common Causes of Upper Back Pain In Escondido, CA
Subluxation
The corrective care chiropractor practices the traditional philosophy of chiropractic, which focuses on correcting spinal subluxations through structural adjustments. A Subluxation is a misaligned vertebral joint that interferes with the body’s nerve impulses. These electrical nerve impulses from the brain regulate all bodily functions and keep us alive. Subluxations often cause patients to experience symptoms, such as upper back pain, headaches, or even numbness and tingling in their arms and hands. Upper back pain is often treated with exercises, stretches, and sometimes medications. However, no exercise or drug can correct the subluxation. In Escondido, California, Corrective Care chiropractors are the only doctors specifically trained to correct spinal subluxation properly. Gentle and specific chiropractic adjustments can often provide instant relief for upper back pain caused by subluxations.
Of course, the chiropractor providing corrective care wants the patient’s symptoms to improve; however, the primary focus is on removing nerve interference and restoring the spine to its most stable biomechanical position. This is achieved through a program of rehabilitative chiropractic adjustments, postural awareness, gentle stretches, and spinal exercises. We often explain subluxations to kids like this: imagine if I took the nerve from your brain to your heart, and I cut it with scissors. What would happen? Of course, you would die! Now, let’s say you took the nerve from the brain to your heart, and you choked it. Would you be healthier or sicker? Of course you’d be sicker! And if we stop choking that nerve? You’d be more nutritious! Subluxations choke the nerve impulses from your body to your brain. The ultimate goal is to ensure that your body is sending clear signals to your brain. That’s precisely what chiropractors specializing in corrective care do. They make sure there’s no choking of your nerves.
Tech Neck
Tech neck is a term used to describe postural issues that occur due to prolonged use of electronic devices and working at a desk, often involving extended periods of staring at a computer screen. Since the invention of the iPhone, it has become a prominent problem. In fact, most Americans spend over four hours per day on their phones! Tech neck typically presents with a forward head posture, which increases stress on the upper back joints and muscles. Often, with forward head posture, the natural curve of the upper back is reduced, and in some cases, it is even reversed. This can lead to chronic upper back issues. At Corrective Spinal Care of California, we specialize in helping people improve their posture and alleviate upper back pain associated with tech neck.
Bulging Cervical Discs
The spaces between the bones of the spine are called spinal discs. They are the shock absorbers that cushion between vertebrae. The disc is made up of the strongest material in the entire body, fibrocartilage. The outside portion of the disc is made up of fibrocartilage and water. The inside of the disc is similar to the inside of a jelly donut. This inside jelly material is called the nucleus. With the wear and tear of the discs over time, the outside fibrocartilage begins to deteriorate. If you’ve had injuries from whiplash from car accidents, have trauma to your head and upper back, those outside fibers eventually start to tear so that the inside nucleus jelly moves to the outside of the disc. This creates a bulge. Bulges of the discs can subsequently put pressure on nerves that travel down the spine into the arms and hands.s
Herniated Discs
Herniated cervical discs are similar to the bulging discs. The outer thick fibrocartilage can eventually start to tear, and the nucleus will begin to move outward once again. After years of these fibers tearing or experiencing severe trauma, the nucleus or jelly portion can actually push through to the outside of the disc, putting pressure on a nerve. Herniated discs tend to be more painful and can cause even more arm pain than upper back pain. Eventually, the disc can rupture, causing intense shooting pain that radiates down the arm and into the hands, because the nucleus is outside the disc and is sitting on the nerve.
Symptoms of a herniated disc can be sharp, stabbing pain in the upper back, shooting pains in the upper back, numbness in one or both arms or hands, and weakness in the arm and hand muscles.
There are many methods for treating a herniated cervical disc. The most recent research indicates that conservative methods, such as rest, specific spinal adjustments, and exercises targeting the upper back muscles and improving flexibility, are the most effective in relieving pressure caused by a herniated disc.
Your body‘s natural approach for treating a herniated disc is what’s called phagocytosis. Your body recognizes foreign materials outside of where they are supposed to be in the nucleus and sends a team of cells to help break down and reabsorb them. This can take months and sometimes years to heal properly. Oftentimes, the pain is so severe that people eventually look to their orthopedic surgeon for help. At Corrective Spinal Care of California, we have achieved significant success in treating herniated discs naturally. In rare cases, due to instability of the upper back joints, the severity of a herniated disc, and or a person‘s poor ability to heal, surgery can be an option.
Muscle Strains
Muscle strains, also known as pulled muscles, are the most common cause of upper back pain. This can happen when the muscle fibers are stretched too far or torn. Usually, this occurs during physical activity, such as lifting weights, looking up with heavy yard work, and traumas from car accidents. This sort of overexertion injury can vary in severity. It is very rare to have a complete tear of the muscle fibers. Typically, we observe a mild straining of the muscles, which can eventually lead to a swollen and bruised area.
Muscle strains typically heal on their own with the body’s natural inflammatory process of repair. Over time, your body will repair the damaged area by creating new muscle fibers and connective tissue. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (R.I.C.E.) are typically recommended for the first 72 hours after a muscle strain. Very often, we see muscle strains due to an imbalance in the body’s biomechanics. A sedentary lifestyle, characterized by the underuse of one muscle group compared to the overuse of another, can lead to muscle strain. Muscle strains typically resolve within 4 to 6 weeks, and we encourage patients to address these issues as soon as possible. At Corrective Spinal Care of California, we always focus on identifying the root cause of your problem, rather than just addressing the symptom.
Whiplash
One of the most common injuries from car accidents in Escondido, California, is whiplash in the upper back. Oftentimes, people who were in car accidents that have been rear-ended always remember their head getting pushed forward quickly. However, the initial impact causes the head to go backwards first and then abruptly forward. This whiplash movement can lead to a lifetime of suffering in the upper back as well as permanent ligament and disc damage. When a vehicle comes to a sudden stop during impact, the upper back moves back and forth sharply, causing damage to the muscles and ligaments. This often results in upper back pain and reduced range of motion. Whiplash needs to be addressed as soon as possible, as it easily leads to chronic upper back problems later in life. So common that people who are in whiplash accidents report soreness the next day, and it slowly goes away within a few days. If the problem is not corrected immediately, these individuals will often experience more severe issues years to decades later. It is so common for patients in our clinic to have upper back pain years and sometimes decades after car accidents. Corrective chiropractic care is an effective way to minimize injuries sustained during a whiplash and restore normal function and movement in the upper back.
Postural Problems
As we continue to adopt a more sedentary lifestyle, partial health issues related to this will become increasingly widespread among Americans. As we sit, our bodies adapt accordingly. With issues like partial distortions, pre-existing spinal problems like scoliosis, traumatic injuries, muscle balances and weaknesses, all lead to upper back pain. These postural issues result in the body being unable to support its own structure adequately. With all these partial changes and misalignments, nerve tissue becomes irritated, weakening signals that lead to dysfunction in the body and overall health. Poor posture, repetitive actions, or prolonged sitting can lead to abnormal muscle strains and bodily compensations, thereby perpetuating a cycle of dysfunction and pain.
Rib Subluxation
We have 12 ribs on both sides of our spine that surround our entire upper torso, connecting at our chest bone or sternum. Each of these ribs connects to the spine in a hinge, allowing the rib to expand and contract, which enables our diaphragm to develop and facilitate breathing.
Misalignment of rib joints can affect our ability to breathe as they are stuck in an abnormal position. Deep breaths can cause sharp pains in the back and the front of the rib cage. Often, when we feel misaligned ribs in the back of our spine, we think of them like trigger points or knots between the shoulder blades and the spine. These can also refer to pain in the front of the chest, where the ribs meet the sternum, the point of connection at the front of the body.
Scoliosis
Scoliosis is an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine often present at birth. These abnormal curves can worsen gradually with age, particularly in individuals with a sedentary lifestyle. These curvatures can result in nerve compression and joint dysfunction, and further complicate upper back pain. Corrective care chiropractors are uniquely qualified and specialize in reducing scoliosis curves. We customize your corrective care to properly correct spinal alignments and rehabilitate muscles, maintaining a more stable and balanced spine. Chiropractic is a safe and effective way to correct subluxations, alleviate upper back pain, and promote a healthier nervous system throughout your body.
Check Out Our Location Near You
330 W Felicita Ave Suite B-1, Escondido, CA 92025
$149 New Patient Special
Includes Private Consultation to discuss your needs & concerns, Gentle Chiropractic Examination to find out what’s wrong, Any necessary X-rays to understand your condition fully, Report of Findings.
