Where Your Back Pain Hurts: Thoracic Spine

Housing 12 vertebrae, the thoracic region is the longest segment of the spinal column. As the dominant region, the thoracic vertebrae—labeled T1 to T12—are responsible for keeping the body upright. In addition, your ribs are connected to the thoracic vertebrae, giving the latter the responsibility of protecting the vital organs within it.

Only vertebrae T1 to T10 make up the veritable rib cage that protects your heart and lungs, among others. This structure extends along the chest wall, providing a defensive screen against impact damage. The last two thoracic vertebrae, T11 and T12, also sport ribs, however, these cover only the back, thereby protecting the kidneys.

Stability problems are more common in the lower thoracic section since the vertebrae there are less stable than those on the upper section. Vertebral fractures, for instance, happens between T9 and T12 frequently. The thoracic column is also vulnerable to known spinal conditions such as kyphosis and scoliosis.

In addition, hernias are more common in the thoracic spine but not as common as in the lumbar spine. Whereas pain in the lumbar spine is called low back pain, pain in the thoracic spine is called upper or middle back pain. Manipulative treatment can be done to restore stability to this region.