Upper back pain is referred to as dorsalgia when it is caused by an involvement of the muscles, ligaments or bones in that area.
The most frequent cause is a too intense and/or repeated effort that causes an overload of the structures involved, as well as a local trauma or maintaining a bad posture for a long period of time.
It manifests as pain generally of rapid onset, which increases with movement and decreases at rest. The discomfort typically increases with pressure on the affected area and may be accompanied by chest and shoulder pain.
It is diagnosed by questioning and physical examination and imaging tests may also be performed.
Treatment includes rest, conventional analgesia and local heat. Muscle relaxants may be combined with sleeping hours to reduce the associated contracture.
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