Upper Back Pain When Looking Down And Reasons Why

Why am I experiencing back pain when looking down? This is not that unusual. Most of us find it hard to distinguish between neck pain and upper back pain. As a matter of fact, most people who experience upper back pain when looking down may also have a problem with their neck.

What Causes Upper Back Pain?

You may experience back pain when looking down for a number of reasons. Let’s cover the most common ones and see if you can identify the reason.

● Whiplash
● Soft tissue injuries
● Muscle tension
● Sitting in one position for too long looking up, down or in front
● Head trauma
● Shoulder trauma

Any of these conditions can cause problems with your muscles and tendons in your upper and middle back. The problem may start in the neck, but as time goes on, you start to experience pain in your upper back as well.

Other Symptoms to Look Out For

On top of back pain in your upper back when looking down, you may experience a range of other signs and symptoms which you may not always relate to your back pain.

Experiencing dizzy spells is perhaps one of the most common add-on symptoms associated with upper back pain. As you look down, you all of a sudden feel dizzy. This feeling can be so severe that you feel you have to sit down or find support for standing up.

Vertigo is another common symptom. Surprisingly, vertigo is often associated with upper back and neck pain. Vertigo is a common side effect of whiplash. But, believe it or not, vertigo is also common when you sit down for a long period of time. It is not clearly understood why, but there is certainly a link between upper back pain and vertigo.

You are also more likely to suffer migraines when you experience back pain when you look down. The kind of migraine you experience is often sudden onset and can affect your sight.

What Is the Most Common Reason Behind Upper Back?

Although it is important to have your condition diagnosed by a health professional, the most common reason is poor posture.

The truth is that we sit down too much. The vast majority of us adopt very bad sitting habits. Next time you find yourself sitting at a desk, or the kitchen table at home, check your posture.

Examples of Poor Posture

The list of poor posture examples when sitting is more or less endless. The most common one is probably sitting in the wrong position. When it comes to bad sitting positions, there are endless examples.

● Sitting with crossed legs at your desk. When you sit at a desk, both feet should be firmly planted on the floor or on a footstool.

● Sitting with your feet stretched out under your desk. That may seem okay but can put pressure on both your upper and lower back. Check your feet, once again, they should be flat on the floor or on your foot support.

● Is your computer screen at the right height? Since we started to use laptops more, upper back problems have become more common. It is much more difficult to have your laptop at the right angle. Ideally, the screen on your laptop should be in line with your neck. In other words, you should not have to force yourself to look down or up.

● Working at the kitchen table. Working from home is now the new normal for many of us. The problem is that most of us do not have the perfect home working environment. Thousands, if not millions of people, end up working at their kitchen tables. Your kitchen table is not at the right angle for you to work from.

● Do you have an ergonomic chair? Even when you work from home, having an ergonomic chair that helps you to sit correctly is important.

● Sitting with slumped shoulders. This is another common cause for concern and is often caused by your keyboard not being at the right height.

Of course, the way we sit when we work is not the only culprit. When we finished work, we often carry on sitting. Not very many people can say that they sit at the right angle or position when sitting on the sofa.

Standing incorrectly can cause problems with upper back pain as well.

What Action Can I Take?

Training yourself to sit in the right position is not easy. Often it is easier to sit in the wrong position rather than in the correct one.

It is almost a matter of forcing yourself to sit or stand in a position. That is something which is very hard to do.

The best way to avoid hefty medical bills related to poor posture is to invest in back support.

There are several different kinds. When you don’t want to wear one, you can also buy back supports that you place at the back of your chair or under your bottom when you sit. A bit of extra elevation can help you to achieve a better posture.

A lumbar support cushion placed at the back of your chair can also support your entire spinal column better.

One of the best options is wearing a back support. You may experience some discomfort as your muscles and tendons start to align themselves correctly.

But, you should also focus on your long-term back health. Taking frequent breaks is important. If you have a smartwatch, make sure that you have set reminders to stand up and stretch.

When you are working at home, invest in a desk that is meant for office work. An alternative to sitting down when you work is standing up. You can now buy standing desks. Make sure you set up the desk to benefit your posture.

Most importantly, recognise you have a problem and buy a good quality back support.

Final Thoughts

It is important to look after your entire spinal column from top to bottom. That is really the only way you can avoid inflammation and back in any part of your back

Brought to you by Your Back Pain Relief