As can be seen in the graph below, Upper Cervical care has produced some tremendous results for many of our patients suffering from neck pain. A substantial 94% of our patients who reported mid back pain as a major complaint realized complete or significant relief within 4 weeks.
Mid back pain typically occurs between or under the shoulder blades and is most often related to muscle knots and tension. It can be associated with scoliosis in many cases and can also impact breathing due to tension on the rib cage.
Misalignment in the upper cervical spine can cause tension throughout the muscles of the neck which extend down throughout the upper back. This tension causes compensating reaction in other back muscles, leading to a cascade of knots and tension that are typically resistant to massage or other forms of therapy. Correction of the misalignment typically allows those muscles to relax and the neck to return to a more balanced and relaxed state.
“When I first saw Dr. Creswell, I could hardly walk and was bent over from the pain in my back. My wife said I looked like a teapot! My first treatment was in 1995 and after a few treatments, I was walking straight and could actually stand up without any pain. I now come back at least once a year for a check-up. What I call a ‘wheel alignment’.” – Darrel
I had been suffering with back problems for some time. I was very frustrated with the treatment I had received from other health professionals who provided recurring treatments with disappointing results. Initially I was somewhat apprehensive [of NUCCA] as the method of treatment was different from anything I had previously experienced. Nevertheless, after being treated by Dr. Creswell I have not returned to any other type of chiropractor. I have one treatment when experiencing a problem and walk out feeling ‘straight and pain free’!” – Carolyn
About the condition
Mid back pain (also called Dorsalgia) is often located between or “under” the shoulderblades. The pain of this area can be a major detractor from quality of life due to the fact that your mid back also coincides with the connections of the rib cage, affecting breathing, any movement of the torso, and even extending beyond that. All of your core muscles connect with the rib cage at some level, meaning strain here affects all movements.
The mid back is also an area where scoliosis is often first discovered and seen, again due to the rib cage. All in all, it can be a life-altering region to have consistent or chronically recurring pain but solutions are available.
Theory of how upper cervical treatment helps
As is the case with many of the symptoms which we “treat” with upper cervical care, Mid Back Pain is most often tied to the altered postural state that your body assumes when the head and neck are out of alignment with each other. This altered posture causes the muscles connected to the spine and rib cage to be more tense on one side of your back than the other … it can also change the overall curves of your spine, causing a burning sensation between the shoulder blades or at the base of your neck. The pain of the muscle tension (knots, aches) or the pain of those tense muscles pulling on their attachments (burning) or even the pain of a rib being pulled beyond its normal position (stabbing) can all be tied back to the compensated posture caused by an upper cervical misalignment.
The trouble with this posture is that it has become the default for your body. While it is true that you can focus on keeping a good posture, stretch your back to help maintain good posture, and even undergo bracing or surgery to try and “straighten up” … until the head and neck are put back into proper alignment, the brain will continue to send signals to the muscles of your mid back (as well as neck, low back, and hips) to attempt to go back to your compensating “default”. Correcting the source of these signals (the atlas misalignment) is the only real way to hit the “reset” button on your posture and get lasting results.