What does it mean when your upper back and chest hurts?
Owen Barnes
Published Mar 12, 2026
What does it mean when your upper back and chest hurts?
Chest and back pain can be a cause for concern, especially if a person has an underlying condition such as heart disease or cancer. Some other possible causes of chest and back pain include infections, digestive conditions, and injuries to muscle, bone, or other tissues within the chest.
Can a sore upper back cause chest pain?
This is called a herniated disc. The herniated disc can sometimes press on or pinch nearby nerves, causing pain to occur. A pinched nerve in the neck or upper back can cause pain in the back that radiates to the chest and can mimic heart disease pain.
Does Covid cause pain in chest and back?
A small proportion of people with COVID-19 can experience significant chest pains, which are mostly brought on by breathing deeply, coughing or sneezing. This is likely caused by the virus directly affecting their muscles and lungs.
How do you know if chest pain is muscular?
A strained or pulled chest muscle may cause a sharp pain in your chest….Classic symptoms of strain in the chest muscle include:
- pain, which may be sharp (an acute pull) or dull (a chronic strain)
- swelling.
- muscle spasms.
- difficulty moving the affected area.
- pain while breathing.
- bruising.
When should I worry about upper back pain?
See a doctor if the upper back pain is: Sharp, rather than dull: Could be a sign of a torn muscle or ligament, or a problem with an internal organ in the back or side. Radiating to the buttocks or legs: may be a sign of nerve compression or damage.
Does lung pain feel like a pulled muscle?
Pleuritis, or pleurisy, refers to inflammation of the lining of the lungs. A bacterial or viral infection is the most common cause. Pleuritis can cause pain that feels like a pulled chest muscle. It is generally sharp, sudden, and increases in severity when taking a breath.
What are six common non cardiac causes of chest pain?
In most people, non-cardiac chest pain is related to a problem with the esophagus, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease. Other causes include muscle or bone problems, lung conditions or diseases, stomach problems, stress, anxiety, and depression.
What causes upper back pain in females?
Upper back pain in women is usually due to: Poor posture, like slouching or pushing the head forward while sitting or standing, causing misalignment of the spine. Muscle overuse or strain, usually due to repetitive motions or lifting items or children incorrectly. Injury to discs, muscles and/or ligaments.
Can your lungs hurt in your back?
Pleurisy, which is inflammation in the lining of the lungs, can cause sharp pains in the back and chest. This can often be the result of a viral or bacterial infection. Asthma, a chronic, long-term infection of the lung, may also cause pain in your back. Costochondritis is inflammation of rib cage cartilage.
What are the common causes of chest and upper back pain?
Pneumonia is another cause of back and chest pain. Your lungs are inflamed and the constant coughing is hurting the chest area while you may feel sharp pain in the upper back. Pain is caused to the diaphragm muscles and other tendons surrounding the rib cage. These muscles can cause chest and back pain in a rather large area of the body.
Is pain in the upper back a sign of a heart attack?
The main takeaway, Goldberg said, is that people should know the “atypical” symptoms of heart attack. Those include pain in the upper back or jaw, shortness of breath, nausea and heartburn-like pressure in the upper abdomen.
What would cause upper back pain?
Upper back injuries resulting in mild to severe upper back pain are caused by automobile accident, work injuries, domestic fall and sport injuries. The trauma causes injuries of skin, subcutaneous tissue, paravertebral muscle, ribs, nerves and lung. Skin Injury- Skin injuries over the upper right back causes mild to severe pain.
What are good exercises for upper back pain?
Countertop stretch.