Upper Back and Neck Pain

Your cervical spine is the top portion of your spine and helps support the weight of your head. It includes seven small bones called vertebrae. These bones run from the base of your skull to the top of your shoulders. Like other vertebrae, your cervical spine vertebrae protect your spinal cord. They also protect your brain stem.

Between your vertebrae are spongy disks that give your neck the cushioning and flexibility it needs to move freely and from side to side. Nerves, blood vessels, muscles and ligaments also exist in the cervical spine area.

A variety of causes can lead to upper back and neck pain. Something as simple as poor posture or sleeping awkwardly may cause muscle strain or sprain. Many different diseases and conditions can also affect the cervical spine, including:

• Cervical spinal stenosis  – The vertebrae and disks that make up your spine form a hollow opening where your spinal cord passes through. Sometimes, this area can narrow and pinch your spinal cord and nerves. Possible symptoms include neck pain or stiffness, difficulty walking or standing, and numbness in your shoulders, arms or hands.
• Cervical spondylosis – This condition refers to age-related wear and tear that affects the disks in your neck. Neck pain and stiffness are common symptoms. Cervical spondylosis may lead to cervical spinal stenosis.
• Compression fracture  – A compression fracture occurs when tiny cracks form in your vertebrae and weaken the bones. Eventually, these cracks may cause the vertebrae to collapse on one another. Osteoporosis, a bone-thinning disease, is a common cause. Symptoms of a compression fracture may include pain that worsens when walking or standing, difficulty bending or twisting, loss of height and a curved, stooped shape to the spine.
• Degenerative disk disease  – Disks that cushion your vertebrae may deteriorate over time. As a result, it can be harder for the spine to move. Pain can be mild to moderate. It may improve when standing, shifting positions or reclining.
• Fibromyalgia – Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain. Many researchers believe that repeated nerve stimulation causes the brain and spinal cord to change in people with this condition. This change leads to an unusual increase in certain brain chemicals that signal pain.
• Spinal cord injuries  – Your spinal cord may be damaged from trauma, loss of blood supply or compression caused by a tumor or infection. These injuries affect the way signals are transmitted between your brain and the rest of your body.
• Spondylolisthesis  – This condition occurs when one vertebra slips out of place onto the vertebra below it. If it presses against a nerve, it may cause symptoms, including pain in your back, buttocks or legs. You may notice that your muscles are tight, and you have trouble standing or walking.