Upper back pain is not as common as lower back pain. But the nature of the pain is so excruciating and distressing, that it sends sufferers rushing to the doctor. Upper back pain does not respond easily to home remedies. Usually hot and cold compresses, shoulder and back rubs, and application of pain relieving creams does not bring relief to the sufferer. Sometimes upper back pain in the shoulder can be extremely uncomfortable. This is due to the fact that it tends to be constant and causes extra twinges with movement.

Upper back pain usually occurs in the area starting at the base of the neck and extends downwards to the top of the lumbar region. The upper back is also called the thoriac back. It contains the ribs that form the thoriac cage. The thoriac cage in turn encases the heart, lungs and liver. Pain in the upper back area can create panic, because the pain seems to be so near to the vital organs.

The major cause of upper back pain is said to originate from irritation of the muscles and the ligaments. Muscles and ligament of the upper back generally become irritated due to a number of reasons that include stress and anxiety. In cases of stress, the neck will experience strain, radiating across the shoulder blades. Similarly, fatigue, tiredness and overexertion can cause distress in the upper back.

Repetitive movements like using the computer, also irritate this region. Sedentary life styles and modern workstations result in lack of exercise and movement. This in turns causes slackness and weakness of the muscles and ligaments in the upper back. Weak muscular condition is a major cause of upper back pain and of shoulder pain.

Sports injuries and muscle strains also cause upper back pain. In some cases upper back pain, like lower back pain, may indicate spondylitis, herniated discs and bulging discs.  However, these more serious conditions are always of a longer duration, do not respond to rest and simple therapies and are accompanied by other conditions such as pain in the neck, nausea, tingling and numbness and even weakness that radiates into the limbs.

Sharp upper back pain with difficulty in breathing is sometimes due to aneurysms or also due to problems in the pleurae. Patients with pneumonia will generally experience upper back pain brought on by difficulty in breathing. Pulmonary tuberculosis will also in most cases cause upper back pain.

Aside from the fact that mid back pain is a classic condition of pregnancy, middle back pain will also occur due to stress and tiredness. One more reason for middle back pain is muscular exertion and fatigue. Middle back pain is most likely to result from bad habits that have become ingrained, such as poor posture, lack of exercise and strained ligaments. Accidents also injure the mid back region causing pain. Scoliosis and other spinal condition disorders will cause pain in the middle back region