Natural Relief for Thoracic Spine Pain Without Surgery, Injections, or Pain Medication
Mid back pain is a common but often overlooked spinal condition that can significantly impact daily life. We often say in our office that the mid back is like the “monkey in the middle.” Many symptoms in the mid back are due to some type of dysfunction in the cervical or lumbar spine. While lower back pain and neck pain receive most of the attention, pain in the middle portion of the spine can create chronic discomfort, stiffness, muscle tightness, and even nerve-related symptoms that affect posture, breathing, sleep, and mobility.
A vast majority of patients struggling with mid back pain spend hours sitting at desks, driving, lifting improperly, or dealing with repetitive postural stress. Over time, these habits can place excessive strain on the thoracic spine and surrounding musculature.
At Strive Integrative Health in Brookfield, Wisconsin, we specialize in identifying the root causes of mid back pain and providing non-surgical treatment options designed to restore spinal movement, reduce inflammation, and improve overall spinal function.
Our goal is not simply to mask symptoms temporarily. Instead, we focus on correcting the underlying biomechanical issues contributing to the pain so patients can experience long-term relief and improved mobility.
Patients throughout Brookfield, Waukesha County, Elm Grove, New Berlin, Menomonee Falls, Pewaukee, and the Greater Milwaukee area trust Strive Integrative Health because we provide comprehensive evaluations and advanced treatment solutions designed to restore spinal health naturally.
What Is Mid Back Pain?
Mid back pain refers to pain or dysfunction involving the thoracic spine, which is the middle portion of the spine located between the neck and lower back. The thoracic spine consists of 12 vertebrae labeled T1 through T12.
Unlike the cervical spine and lumbar spine, the thoracic spine is designed primarily for stability and posture rather than large ranges of movement. The thoracic spine also connects to the rib cage, which helps protect vital organs such as the heart and lungs. This is also why symptoms not only impact the mid back but can also impact the ribs and shoulder blade.
Because this area is heavily involved in posture and movement, problems involving the thoracic spine can lead to stiffness, muscle tightness, restricted mobility, inflammation, and nerve irritation. Mid back pain may develop suddenly after an injury or gradually over time due to poor posture, repetitive stress, or spinal degeneration.
Why Mid Back Pain Is Becoming More Common
Modern lifestyles place significant stress on the thoracic spine. Many people spend hours each day sitting at desks, looking down at phones, driving for prolonged periods of time, and working long hours at a computer. Over time, these postural stresses can cause the thoracic spine to become stiff and dysfunctional. This type of poor posture often leads to rounded shoulders, forward head posture, increased tension in the upper- and mid-back musculature, shoulder dysfunction, and cervical kyphosis (the hump on the back of your neck). These imbalances can create excessive stress on spinal joints, muscles, and connective tissues. As a result, chronic thoracic spine pain is becoming increasingly common.
How Mid Back Pain Affects Posture and Movement
The thoracic spine plays a critical role in maintaining healthy posture and allowing the body to move efficiently. When this region becomes stiff or dysfunctional, it can affect the mechanics of the entire spine. Thoracic spine dysfunction can lead to neck pain, shoulder tension, reduced breathing efficiency, and lower back compensation patterns.
Because the spine functions as a connected system, restrictions in the thoracic spine often create problems elsewhere in the body. Improving thoracic mobility is essential for overall spinal health.
$49 New Patient Special
Includes Consultation, Orthopedic exam, Motion studies, Risk-fall and assessment, Full Spine Xrays, Full Report of Findings, & Spinal relief treatment. $895 Value.
How Our Care Plan Works
1. Jumpstart Your Relief
You’re in pain and looking for answers. That’s why this first visit is all about understanding you—not just your symptoms. We’ll take a deep dive into your health history, do a full spinal exam, take any necessary x-rays, and give you a gentle trial treatment to get your body moving in the right direction. You’ll walk out with more than just hope—you’ll walk out with answers.
2. Finally Find Your Solution
At your second visit, we’ll show you exactly what’s going on and why you haven’t gotten lasting relief in the past. You’ll see your x-rays and receive a personalized, step-by-step care plan that targets the root of your problem. You’ll also receive your second treatment to start building momentum. This is the moment most people say, “Finally—someone gets it.”
3. Freedom To Do Everything You Want
This is where real change happens. Over the next few months, we’ll walk with you through a customized care plan designed to restore your body’s natural healing abilities, reduce pain, and help you return to what you love—whether that’s golfing, hiking, chasing your grandkids, or just living without constant discomfort. It’s not a quick fix. It’s a real plan for freedom.
How We Treat Middle Back Pain In Brookfield, WI
How We Diagnose Mid Back Pain at Strive Integrative Health
At Strive Integrative Health in Brookfield, the first step is to sit down with you to understand what is causing your thoracic spine pain, how severe it is, and whether we can help. Of course, from that initial consultation, we already have a good idea about your specific condition and what we have to do, but we don’t like to guess with your health; we like to test. So after the consultation, we always do a comprehensive exam and any necessary X-rays to determine exactly where your problem is.
This comprehensive consultation and examination allows us to determine the root cause of your mid back pain and construct a treatment plan that not only gets you feeling better but also helps keep you feeling better so this doesn’t keep coming back.
Your evaluation may include:
– Detailed health history
– Postural assessment
– Range of motion testing
– Orthopedic and neurological testing
– Digital X-rays with motion analysis
These assessments are great ways to determine whether your pain is caused by disc issues, joint dysfunction, nerve irritation, muscle imbalances, or maybe all of the above.
At Strive, we understand that everyone is different, so once we uncover the underlying cause, we can then create a personalized treatment plan to help you get the results you are looking for and get back to living life on your terms.
Why We Take X-Rays for Mid Back Pain Patients
At Strive Integrative Health, we commonly perform digital X-rays for patients experiencing chronic spinal pain.
X-rays help us evaluate:
– spinal alignment
– degeneration
– postural changes
– disc spacing
– rib alignment
– structural abnormalities
This allows us to develop a safer and more precise treatment plan.
Rather than guessing, we want to understand exactly what is happening within the spine.
Corrective Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic adjustments help restore proper motion to the spine. Through our motion study analysis on X-rays, we can determine exactly which joints are not moving properly and where that dysfunction is putting pressure on the nervous system. When these joints in the spine become restricted or misaligned, they can create irritation in the surrounding nerves, discs, and soft tissues, leading to pain and restricted range of motion.
Left untreated, this area can continue to get worse. Dr. Jonathan Stevenson likes to say, “Motion is lotion and rest is rust,” meaning that a spine that does not move will degenerate faster than a spine that maintains a healthy range of motion. Chiropractic care is essential for an optimally functioning spine and nervous system.
A well-adjusted spine will help improve spinal mobility, reduce nerve irritation, improve overall posture, and restore proper movement patterns. This approach allows the body to function more efficiently and heal naturally without the use of pain pills, surgeries, or injections.
Spinal Decompression Therapy
Spinal decompression is a great non-surgical treatment option designed to reduce pressure on spinal discs, decrease tightness, and alleviate nerve irritation.
We utilize a specialized decompression table that delivers gentle traction to the lumbar spine to help create space between vertebrae. This may help reduce disc pressure, improve disc hydration, relieve nerve compression, and help promote disc healing.
In our office, spinal decompression is often used for conditions such as herniated discs, disc bulges, and degenerative disc disease.
Shockwave Therapy (PiezoWave/Myo-acoustic Therapy)
The PiezoWave treatment has been an absolute game changer for many of our patients. It is the premier focused shockwave therapy device used in our office to stimulate healing in injured tissue. It’s classified as a myo-acoustic therapy that sends out sound waves to help improve blood flow and cellular repair, which can accelerate recovery from chronic inflammation and soft tissue injuries.
PiezoWave technology is often used in our office for low back pain, degenerative disc disease, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, and much more!
Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy is sometimes used in our office to help stimulate cellular repair, reduce inflammation, and reduce pain. We can utilize different wavelengths with the Prism Light Bed in order to provide the best outcomes for our patients. It is a high-power light bed that delivers a strong and effective dose of red light to accelerate recovery.
This therapy supports mitochondrial function, which makes up approximately 10% of an adult’s body weight. Think of these cells as the power plants in the body called ATP. The big idea is that when we stimulate these cells, it allows them to produce more energy and recover more effectively. Many patients experience improved healing and reduced pain when red light therapy is incorporated into their treatment plan.
Lifestyle Habits That Support Thoracic Spine Health
Certain habits can help reduce stress on the mid back and improve posture.
Helpful strategies include:
– maintaining proper desk posture
– taking movement breaks throughout the day
– strengthening upper back muscles
– stretching the chest and shoulders
– avoiding prolonged sitting
Improving posture is one of the most important factors in reducing thoracic spine pain.
Why Patients Choose Strive Integrative Health
Patients throughout Brookfield, Elm Grove, Waukesha, New Berlin, Pewaukee, Menomonee Falls, and the Greater Milwaukee area choose Strive Integrative Health because we focus on identifying and correcting the root causes of spinal problems.
Our approach is centered around understanding why the patient is in pain and what areas of their life are impacted. Once we determine that we can help, we want to utilize a treatment that addresses the root cause of their pain using non-surgical treatments like chiropractic adjustments, spinal decompression, PiezoWave therapy, and red light technology. Every patient receives a personalized care plan centered around patient education and long-term spinal health.
At Strive Integrative Health, we believe the power that made the body heals the body, and when your spine functions properly, the body has an incredible ability to heal and recover. Sometimes, the body just needs a nudge in the right direction, and that is exactly what we are here to help the body accomplish.
When Should You Seek Treatment for Mid Back Pain?
You should seek professional evaluation if you experience:
– persistent thoracic spine pain lasting more than two weeks
– pain between the shoulder blades
– pain that worsens with sitting or posture
– muscle spasms in the upper or mid back
– reduced mobility
– worsening symptoms
Early treatment can help prevent chronic dysfunction and improve recovery outcomes.
Common Symptoms & Causes of Middle Back Pain in Brookfield, WI
Common Symptoms of Mid Back Pain
Mid back pain symptoms vary depending on the underlying cause and severity of the condition.
Common symptoms include:
- aching pain between the shoulder blades
- sharp pain in the middle of the back
- stiffness in the thoracic spine
- muscle tightness or spasms
- pain when twisting or rotating
- discomfort with prolonged sitting
- pain while taking deep breaths
- postural fatigue
- pain that radiates around the ribs or chest
- tingling sensations
- numbness
- burning pain around the rib cage
Mid back pain often worsens with poor posture, prolonged desk work, or repetitive movements.
Several spinal and muscular conditions can contribute to pain in the thoracic spine.
Thoracic Joint Dysfunction
The thoracic spine contains multiple joints that allow the ribs and spine to move together. When these joints become restricted or inflamed, they can create stiffness, sharp pain, and reduced mobility. Joint dysfunction is one of the most common causes of mid back pain.
Poor Posture
Poor posture is one of the leading causes of chronic thoracic spine pain. When the shoulders round forward and the head moves in front of the body, excessive stress is placed on the thoracic spine. This posture can often lead to muscle fatigue, spinal stiffness, and increased tension in the upper back. Over time, these stresses contribute to chronic pain and mobility restrictions.
Muscle Imbalances and Trigger Points
Weakness in the upper back and core muscles may lead to compensation patterns that overload the thoracic spine. This may result in tight muscles, trigger points, and muscle spasms. These muscular issues may create pain between the shoulder blades or around the ribs. Sometimes, they can even create a sharp, shooting pain that radiates under the shoulder blade.
Thoracic Disc Injuries
Although less common than lumbar disc injuries, discs in the thoracic spine can still become damaged. This actually happened to Dr. Jonathan Stevenson’s dad when he was younger. He had a job that required repetitive bending and lifting and, over time, developed a disc injury in the thoracic spine at T11–T12. This injury was debilitating for a period of time, and lying on the living room floor was the only thing that provided any relief.
Thoracic disc bulges or herniations may lead to localized back pain, nerve irritation, and radiating pain around the chest or ribs. Disc injuries in this region are often associated with poor posture and repetitive spinal stress.
Degenerative Changes
As the spine ages, degenerative changes may develop within the thoracic joints and discs. If not addressed early on, they can lead to stiffness, inflammation, and reduced spinal mobility. Degeneration often occurs gradually over time.
Rib Dysfunction
The ribs connect directly to the thoracic spine. If the ribs lose proper mobility or alignment, they can create pain in the mid back and chest region. This is one of the most common causes for seeing patients in our office with mid back pain. Luckily, this is a condition where pain can resolve relatively quickly from chiropractic adjustments, but if not properly treated, it can lead to re-exacerbations in the future. Many patients describe this pain as sharp or stabbing.
Check Out Our Location Near You
19555 W Bluemound Rd Suite 14, Brookfield, WI 53045
Frequently Asked Questions About Mid Back Pain
What causes pain between the shoulder blades?
Pain between the shoulder blades is often caused by thoracic joint dysfunction, poor posture, muscle tension, or rib dysfunction.
Can chiropractic care help mid back pain?
Chiropractic care focuses on restoring proper spinal movement and reducing stress on the thoracic spine.
Is mid back pain related to posture?
Yes. Poor posture is one of the most common causes of chronic thoracic spine pain.
Can thoracic spine problems cause chest pain?
In some cases, thoracic spine dysfunction or rib irritation may create pain that wraps around the chest.
Why are X-rays used for mid back pain?
Digital X-rays can help evaluate spinal alignment, degeneration, postural changes, disc spacing, rib alignment, and structural abnormalities so the treatment plan can be based on what is happening within the spine.
Schedule a Mid Back Pain Consultation
If you are struggling with mid back pain, thoracic spine stiffness, or postural tension, the team at Strive Integrative Health in Brookfield, Wisconsin is here to help.
Our goal is to restore spinal mobility, reduce pain, and help you return to the activities you enjoy.
Contact our office today to schedule your consultation and begin your path toward lasting relief.
$49 New Patient Special
Includes Consultation, Orthopedic exam, Motion studies, Risk-fall and assessment, Full Spine Xrays, Full Report of Findings, & Spinal relief treatment. $895 Value.
