Widespread pain stemming from the mid-back can develop when the thoracic spine is damaged. At Colorado Clinic in Colorado Springs, and Greeley, Colorado, the pain management providers offer several minimally invasive treatments to relieve thoracic spine pain. Interventional procedures and regenerative medicine can help relieve chronic pain by minimizing inflammation. Call Colorado Clinic or schedule an appointment online to learn more.
The thoracic spine stretches through the mid-back to provide stability. It sits above the lumbar spine in the lower back and supports the cervical spine in the neck. This area of the spine contains many vertebrae, discs, and nerves that, when damaged, can lead to chronic pain in the arms, hands, chest, and legs.
Thoracic spine pain can cause a number of uncomfortable symptoms in the upper and lower body, such as:
A significant injury to the thoracic spine can even affect mobility in your arms or legs, depending on its location.
Many degenerative conditions and injuries can cause thoracic spine pain, but some of the most common include:
Joint damage can either develop gradually or suddenly. Most joint pain stems from degenerative conditions, such as osteoarthritis. The most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis, occurs when the cartilage surrounding your joint breaks down.
The discs that sit in between your vertebrae protect and provide flexibility for the spine. They also act as shock absorbers for the vertebrae. Each disc has a soft center with a hard outer shell. Tears in the shell can cause the center to push through and irritate surrounding nerves.
When the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your back become inflamed, they can cause pain throughout the thoracic spine.
Vertebral compression fractures are bone breaks that can cause chronic back pain and limit your spinal mobility. One of the most common causes of vertebral compression fractures is osteoporosis, which weakens the bones.
Spinal stenosis is a gradual narrowing of the spine that may compress the nerves in the spine. Without treatment, spinal stenosis can cause shooting pain, weakness, or tingling in the extremities.
Colorado Clinic offers several safe and effective minimally invasive treatments for thoracic spine pain, such as:
Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are both procedures to repair compression fractures. During these procedures, your doctor injects a material into the vertebral cavity to restore function to your spine.
An intercostal nerve block can help relieve chest pain from the thoracic spine. These injections typically treat post-shingles pain.
If you have upper or mid-back pain, a thoracic epidural steroid injection can help reduce inflammation and repair damage.
To learn more about thoracic spine pain, call Colorado Clinic or schedule an appointment online today.
