Back Pain

mid-upper back pain - causes?

i've seen 3 orthopedists now and they all say different stuff for the cause of my back pain. i suffer from 24 hour daily mid-upper back pain (21 years old). never been in an accident or suffered an injury. no pulled muscles. my flexibility is okay. the orthopedist today said that she thinks its due to "improper posture." Um, my posture is good. i stand upright and never slump, always holding my stomach in. i may lack proper posture while sitting though, as I tend to slump forward sometimes. BUT, the thing is, I the pain worsens at night while laying flat down - I can't even sleep flat down without waking up anymore. i'm extremely tight in the morning. my back always cracks but still feels like it needs to be cracked after it cracks. i lift weights very lightly and use the machines instead of free weights. any ideas of what is causing my back pain?

Public Comments

1. Call the 24 nurse line. They have registered nurses available to answer questions like this anonymously. 1-877-825-5276. Good luck.
2. Assuming you are not an IV drug user, previously injured, history of significant illness, etc...........Be sure to go to your GP and get it checked out further. Here are some possible causes........ The most likely cause is joint dysfunction caused by poor posture. I know you don't think thats it but it's most likely. Be sure to check your seated posture at the computer as well as your posture when you work and play. Another possible cause is whats called Scheuermann's Disease. Basically it is a malformation of the body of the thoracic vertebrae, in 3 consecutive segments. On the brightside it'll get better once your bones are matured but can manifest in upper thoracic pain before then. To quote http://www.spine-health.com "The cause of Scheuermann's disease is unknown, but is thought to be due to a growth abnormality of the vertebral body. The growth plate anteriorly (in the front) stops growing but the posterior part of the growth plate continues to grow. This is due to a condition known as osteochondrosis. Scheuermann’s disease does not spread and is not really a “disease” but a condition that can arise during growth. It is more common in males and appears in adolescents usually towards the end of their growth spurt." http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/scoliosis/scheuermann’s-disease-thoracic-and-lumbar-spine You also need to ask your GP or specialist for an HLA-B27 test. You are right in the wheelhouse age-wise of a condition called Ankylosing Spondylitis. It is a form of arthritis that tends to manifest as back pain and stiffness, worse in the morning without previous trauma. The most likely cause is posture, especially when sitting at a computer but you need to get AS ruled out as well. Be sure to mention any family history of arthritis, back pain, illness or infection to the doctor.