Pain in the middle back is generally defined as all pain that is located in the area of the flanks, i.e. the lower ribs on the back. These pains in the middle back are a growing burden on more and more patients and can have different origins. In most cases, the cause is found quickly and lack of movement and comparatively long periods sitting at a desk are to be blamed for the back pain.
Or it may be caused by a simple strain, for example due to incorrect posture during sports. Permanent pain in the middle back can also be caused by a malposition or degeneration of the spine. But organic causes can also be the reason for pain in the middle back.
Causes
Pain in the middle back is initially a very general symptom and can therefore have many causes. The most common is a deformation of the spine or too weak back muscles. Scoliosis is one of the typical deformities of the spine.
This is a more or less S-shaped curved spine. Scoliosis can be present from childhood on, in which case, in the worst case, only surgery can help, while physiotherapy can help in lighter cases. Scoliosis can also be acquired, for example through incorrect loading of the spine.
If a woman always carries her heavy handbag on the same shoulder, the muscles and spine try to counteract the one-sided load. This can lead to scoliosis. In older patients, spinal wear (arthrosis) is often to blame for the pain in the middle back.
The vertebrae become more and more worn out with age and this can lead to nerve entrapment. This is particularly painful in the early stages. It is noticeable that pain occurs especially when getting up.
However, organic causes can also lead to pain in the middle back. Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. It usually becomes noticeable very late, but then it causes acutely severe pain in the abdominal area and also in the middle back.
Other organs, such as the kidney, can also cause pain in the middle back. For example, kidney stones or an inflammation of the renal pelvis can be accompanied by back problems, but in most cases pain while urinating or pain in the abdomen are also common in such cases. Pain in the middle of the back can also occur in the case of pneumonia, but in this case you must also consider the accompanying symptoms such as coughing and fever.
However, it is also possible that the pain in the middle back is caused by a tumor. Tumors are divided into benign and malignant tumors. If it is a benign tumor, i.e. a tumor that does not spread to surrounding tissue, it can be removed by surgery. If it is a malignant tumor, the tumor in the back is usually a daughter tumor and not the primary focus. Accordingly, pain in the middle back can in rare cases also indicate breast or lung cancer.
All articles in this series:
