Signs & Symptoms of a Herniated Disc in the Upper Back

It is possible to experience a herniated disc in any segment of the spine, however a herniated disc in the upper back is much less common.

There are reasons why the upper back is more stable than the rest of the spine, and there are also precautions taken by doctors trying to diagnose an upper back herniated disc to make sure there is not something more serious going on.

Identification

• A spinal disc is the soft material located between two spinal skeletal regions; the disc contains a soft inner core along with an elastic outer coating. A herniated disc occurs when the soft core inside the disc ruptures and begins to push on the outer elastic shell. This causes the disc to protrude out from between the spinal skeletal regions and puts pressure on the nerves running down the spine.

  The location and severity of the pain associated with this kind of event can depend on how far the disc is protruding and where along the spine this is taking place.

  Because of its location in the upper thoracic region of the back, a herniated disc in the upper back is referred to as a thoracic herniated disc.

Effects

• It has been found that many people experiencing upper back pain were diagnosed with conditions other than a thoracic herniated disc.

  On the other hand, there have also been instances where people have been found to have a thoracic herniated disc that were not displaying any symptoms or experiencing any pain or discomfort.

  The thoracic portion of the spine is thought to be more stable than the other parts of the spine because of the rib cage. The rib cage is situated in the thoracic portion of the body, and the extra support offered by the rib cage helps to reduce the symptoms and the instances of a thoracic herniated disc.

Types

• When symptoms of a thoracic herniated disc do appear, they will usually be centrally located in the chest.

  The patient may experience pain in the upper back, but more often they will experience a burning pain around the upper back that radiates to the chest.

  It is also possible for the pain to radiate down to the legs and cause a burning or tingling pain in the legs as well.

Incidence

• Of all of the different types of herniated discs that can develop in the back, the thoracic herniated disc is found to be the least common of all of them.

  A thoracic herniated disc is diagnosed in less than one percent of all cases of herniated discs.

Considerations

• The pain patterns of a thoracic herniated disc can be very deceptive. In some cases the patient may complain of pain in the lower chest or even the stomach region prior to being diagnosed with a thoracic herniated disc. This is why some symptoms of a thoracic herniated disc can cause doctors to order tests on the heart, kidneys or lungs to try and rule out a more serious condition.

  A person suffering from a thoracic herniated disc will also notice the pain sharply increase when he sneezes, coughs, or laughs.