Symptoms of Upper Back Pain  

Upper back pain is felt in the upper back region between the shoulders or the pain can be radiating to the arms, hands, neck and the shoulders. Upper back pain causes ambulatory disturbances, and can hinder basic routine activities that involve the movement of the hands, arms, shoulders and the neck. All these parts that support each other are connected to the upper back and the spine. 

Most of the upper back pain symptoms involve complaints of body weakness, localized pain, radiating pain, body stiffness in the morning, pain and disturbance when moving any part of the upper torso.  

The upper back itself is comprised of the arms, shoulders, and neck which is connected to the spinal cord. The spinal cord consists of seven vertebrae. Nerves that connect the neck to the spinal cord extend further to the arms, and then to the hands. Nerves from the spinal cord also fuse in to the brain. This entire structure is kept in place by several ligaments and muscles that are the points of origin of pain in the upper back. Some patients can also experience upper left back pain radiating around to under an arm. 

The main symptoms of pain in the upper back include- 

1.   Sudden weakness may occur. This is characterized by the inability to stand steady or pick an object up. The pain can remain localized or radiate to other parts in the upper torso including the neck, shoulders, arms, and hands 

2.   A sudden tightness in the arms, neck, back, or sometimes even in the legs 

3.   Intense back pain along with weight loss and fever 

4.   Localized feeling of numbness 

5.   Problems with the bowels 

6.   Pain in legs, arms, hands and/or neck 

7.   Morning stiffness 

8.   Chronic or sudden pain. Chronic pain can continue for many months if not duly treated. It can be constant or repetitive, and the pain can be sharp or dull