!#7# Upper Back Pain - 5 Common Causes You Might Not Expect For Back and Neck Pain

!±8± Upper Back Pain - 5 Common Causes You Might Not Expect For Back and Neck Pain

There are always reasons why you have pain in your upper back and neck.

Pain does not happen without a reason, or cause. And, back and neck pain often share the same causes. Sometimes we overlook the causes; we just think we are "getting old."

Or, maybe you had medical tests and these test results showed that there are changes in the bones in your neck or back. Maybe your doctor said those changes are the cause of your back pain or neck pain. Is this true?

Well, if a doctor took pictures of anyone's neck bones, almost all of us have visible changes. But, we do not all have pain! What does this mean? Although changes are visible in your bones, those changes may not be causing your upper back pain.

The most common causes of upper back pain and pain in your neck are your muscles!

How do your muscles cause pain? If you stretch them a bit too much, use them in one position for a little too long, or let them get shorter than they like, your muscles cause pain. They will let you know they are unhappy by causing discomfort for you.

Here are 5 common (but usually overlooked) ways muscles get unhappy.

1. Sleeping with too many pillows which push your head forward or sideways. The idea is to keep your head in as close to a neutral position as possible. That means, your head should be over your shoulders (not in front) and your neck should be supported with a small roll to keep its' natural curve.

2. Watching television or driving in a seat that tilts your back toward the seat, but forces your head to move forward. This position strains your neck muscles.

3. Wearing bifocals when working on the computer or a project. If they cause you to lift your chin and tilt your head back, the muscles at the back of your skull will get tight and complain. The muscles along the sides of your neck will probably also be unhappy and you might get a headache. A simple fix for this might be a pair of pcpeekers. These are little half-glasses that slip inside of your own glasses frame. Through some kind of magic, they correct your vision for computer use. They are available at many optomotrists' (eye doctors) offices.

4. Having a weak back lets your head move too far forward and creates a rounded back. This overstretches your neck and upper back muscles (as well as causing other problems.) Your back muscles complain by giving you pain. This position also squeezes the muscles and nerves at the base of your skull and causes further discomfort.

5. Hunching, or leaning, to one side when you are seated will also cause upper back pain. Your muscles are getting stretched on one side, but not the other. It's best to sit on both of your "sit bones."

If you pay attention to the times of day when your upper back or neck bothers you the most, you will begin to discover the cause of your back and neck pain.

Sometimes, you just have to be a detective!