Back Pain When Breathing: Causes and When to Worry

Breathing shouldn’t hurt. Every time you inhale or exhale, your lungs should fill with fresh air, causing no discomfort whatsoever. When you feel back pain with every breath you take, it can cause instant panic. This article will walk through why back pain when breathing is such a common occurrence and provide clear steps on what you should do if you find yourself in this situation. Let’s discuss musculoskeletal back pain causes and when you should worry.

If you feel pain in your back when breathing, you’re not alone. Understand the sensation of pain when inhaling.

Why Does My Back Hurt When I Take a Breath?

You take your breath for granted. Literally. Breathing is your body’s most basic function. When you feel pain traveling through your mid-to-upper back with every breath it can cause alarm. Your body feels like it’s working against you. When stressed your breath naturally becomes shallow and quick. Back pain when breathing can range from a dull persistent ache to a knife-like jab that stops you mid-motion.

The causes of breathing related back pain are usually musculoskeletal in nature and very treatable. Understand the mechanics of breathing and your human frame.

Breathing Explained: Anatomy of Your Human Frame

Everything is working together. The lungs inflate, the ribs raise and the spine subtly moves. Each time you take a breath your diaphragm contracts and the rib cage fans out. For the ribs to fan out the joints that connect them to your spine (costovertebral joints) must glide easily. If there is a tight muscle or restricted joint the expansion of your ribs will rub up against that area.

The human body is resilient. Built to withstand heavy stresses and pressure. But even the human frame has its breaking point. When postural muscles become fatigued from overuse or sub-optimal movement the process of breathing forces your ribs and spine to battle for space. Isn’t it amazing how your body speaks to you? Instead of fearing pain, embrace it as your body’s cry for help.

Typical Musculoskeletal Causes

Musculoskeletal back pain when breathing is typically related to the muscles and joints that surround the ribcage and thoracic spine. When dysfunctional, the physical expansion of the ribcage irritates surrounding tissues.

Intercostal Muscle Injury

These small muscles reside between each rib. They allow your chest to expand and contract as you breathe. You can sprain these muscles from overextending during a quick twist, a traumatic cough, or even from an intense workout. When an intercostal muscle injury occurs, any movement that causes your ribs to expand will stretch the damaged muscle fibers causing sharp pain.

Costovertebral (Rib) Joint Dysfunction

Each rib connects to your spine at a joint that allows your ribs to “bucket handle” when you breathe. When one of these joints becomes irritated or “misaligned” you may feel sharp stabbing pain on one side of your spine. These conditions can make it difficult to sit or lay down without pain.

Thoracic Spine Stiffness

Your thoracic spine (middle back) moves very little. It’s designed for stability more than flexibility. A large majority of the population suffers from thoracic spine stiffness due to prolonged sitting. Without a normal range of motion in your thoracic spine your ribs cannot fully expand when you breathe. This creates a tug-of-war like effect in your torso as your body attempts to make room for your lungs to fill.

How Bad Posture Contributes to Back Pain When Breathing?

In today’s world we sit. A LOT. Stuck behind computers and phones your spine starts to cave in towards your chest. This creates a chronic shortening of the muscles in the front of your body and overstretches the muscles in your back. All of this puts increased load and demand on your spine. When your spine is rounded your diaphragm cannot fully descend when you breathe so your accessory breathing muscles must overwork to compensate. The result? Fatigue. Pain.

The great news is that posture is a habit. One that you have the power to change! By learning to move with proper alignment you allow more space for your lungs to inflate, reducing the mechanical stress your body experiences when you breathe causing back pain. Educational resources can often help build trust in one's ability to heal through better movement patterns.

When should I worry about Back Pain When Breathing?

Musculoskeletal problems are the most common cause of pain when breathing but there are instances where pain can be symptomatic of a serious underlying condition.

Your body can handle a lot. But there are definite times when you should seek medical attention immediately.

Make an appointment to see your physician or go to the ER if you experience any of these “red flags” along with your back pain when breathing:

• Shortness of Breath: Feeling like you can’t breathe or are gasping for air.
• Pressure in your Chest: Any type of heaviness or squeezing in your chest that may travel to your jaw, neck, or arms.
• Sudden Dizziness or Fainting: If you feel lightheaded or pass out along with your pain.
• Blood when you cough: Coughing up blood can be a sign of a pulmonary issue that needs to be addressed.
• Fever and/or Chill: If you have back pain when breathing and a high fever you may have an infection in your lungs such as pneumonia or pleurisy.
• History of Blood Clots: If you have had deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or were recently immobile due to surgery you could be experiencing a pulmonary embolism.

Seeking help is empowering yourself. Making sure your body's largest organs are healthy before jumping into physical recovery.

How Can Physiotherapy Help?

When you're suffering from non-specific musculoskeletal back pain with breathing there is hope. At Vira Physiotherapy in Edmonton, AB, our office doesn’t just provide band-aid solutions, we empower you to recover confidently without fear of re-injury. Let’s walk through how physiotherapy can help you.

Step 1: Assessment

First, we book an appointment and have you come in. Next, we assess your movement, rib cage mechanics, and spinal behavior during certain movements. By locating the painful area when you breathe we can typically pinpoint the irritated joint or muscle.

Step 2: Manual Therapy

With the help of some manual therapy (hands-on treatment) your tightened intercostal muscles can be released and stiff ribs joints mobilized. Many times giving your torso a “reset” provides immediate relief from back pain when breathing.

Step 3: Breathing Retraining

Our chest likes to take over when we are in pain or under stress. Learning how to breathe properly using your diaphragm can calm your nervous system and reduce strain on your back.

Step 4: Strengthening

The last thing you want is to experience the same injury over and over. By building strength in your core and back muscles you protect your spine from future injuries.

Have Hope & Believe You Can Heal

Focus on the small things that you can do each day to improve. Believe that your body has the ability to heal and take the steps necessary to help that process along. When you correct pain with breathing you are not only fixing a physical dysfunction you are welcoming your body back to its full vitality.

Visualize what it feels like to move without restriction. Take a deep breath in, all the way down to your belly, and imagine how nice it feels to breathe in the cool Edmonton AB air. Once you know HOW your body can heal you have to take action. Allow us to guide you through your recovery process and get you back to living your life without limitations. For clinics looking to share this message of hope, effective digital marketing strategies can ensure the right information reaches the people who need it most.

Also Read:

• Exercises for Lower Back Pain
• Severe Lower Back Pain Suddenly? Common Causes and Immediate Steps
• Kidney Pain vs Back Pain
• How to Sleep With Lower Back Pain

Frequently Asked Questions

Can slouching cause pain when breathing?

Yes, poor posture can create back pain when breathing. When you slump your chest closes off, causing strain to the muscles and joints in your thoracic spine when you take deep breaths.

How long does it take a strained rib to heal?

Typically anywhere from two weeks to four weeks. The more you tear the muscle fibers the longer it can take to heal.

Does coughing make muscle strain worse?

Yawning or coughing too much can increase strain. Many times chronic coughing can actually irritate the joints that your ribs connect to your spine.

What should I do if I have sharp pain when breathing?

If you feel sharp pain when you take a breath, first make sure that you don’t have any “red flag” symptoms. If the pain is sharp but you have no chest pressure or shortness of breath, try taking shallow breaths and find a comfortable position that doesn’t require you to breathe deeply.