March 20, 2025
Back pain can come from many places and become a real issue when it occurs or is exacerbated by breathing. Once your pain levels are affected by your breathing, you may need to seek help from a professional chiropractor. Find out where back pain can come from and how a chiropractor can help provide relief.
What Can Cause Back Pain When Breathing?
- Muscle Strain
- Herniated Disk
- Fractured Vertebra
- Spinal Misalignment
- Obesity
- Heart Attack
- Lung Problems
Breathing is a complex activity, even if it comes naturally. It utilizes many different muscles, and when these muscles are injured, like in a car accident or fall, it can cause discomfort or pain. Treatment may be as easy as rest, ice, heat packs, and stretching, but if symptoms persist, your chiropractor may employ soft tissue therapy to relieve stress and promote healing.
Between your vertebrae (the hard bone segments of the spine) are tough, spongy disks. These disks help cushion the spine, but when one of them herniates, it can create discomfort or pain when bending, twisting, or breathing. Chiropractors use flexion-distraction to gently stretch the disks and relieve the discomfort.
Just like any bone, you can experience a fracture in a vertebra. You may get it from a car accident, a fall, or simply lifting something heavy. As you breathe, your rib cage expands to make room for your lungs to fill up with air. Your ribs are attached to certain vertebrae and can experience pain when breathing. Your chiropractor may use massage, stretches, exercise, or some combination of the three to help relieve inflammation and promote healing.
Spinal misalignments are abnormal curves or positioning of the spine, whether acute from an injury or chronic, like scoliosis. Certain degrees and directions of curvature can constrict your lungs and other organs, creating discomfort or pain while breathing. Your treatment options will vary based on the severity of the curve, but chiropractic can be a very effective treatment.
Extra weight puts strain on muscles, bones, and ligaments, which can be problematic and have compounding negative effects. The extra weight makes it more difficult for your body to operate and can hurt when breathing. Losing weight is the simplest recourse in theory, but is easier said than done. Chiropractic can prove a useful alternative as it provides the range of motion you need to stay healthy and pain-free.
Heart attacks aren’t the main cause of back pain when breathing, but it’s vital to understand the symptoms to prepare for a medical emergency if you find yourself susceptible to cardiac issues.
Men will experience chest discomfort as the main symptom of a heart attack, while women will experience nausea/vomiting, extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, and back pain are more common.
While not common for back pain while breathing, issues such as lung cancer and pulmonary embolisms can cause pain while breathing. These issues, and others, can be difficult to detect, so ensure that you listen to your body when things feel off.
How Can A Chiropractor Help?
Chiropractors have years of training and many different tools to minimize pain and promote healing. Depending on your symptoms and what your body needs, your chiropractor may use a few different techniques:
Manual Adjustments
The main tool in your chiropractor’s tool belt is the manual adjustment, also called a spinal manipulation or a chiropractic adjustment. This is a hands-on treatment where your chiropractor moves, massages, and applies pressure to the spine and surrounding joints. These adjustments aim to realign the spine, improve your range of motion, and reduce pain.
Soft Tissue Therapies
Some issues require targeting of the joints and muscles, as opposed to the alignment of the spine and bone structure overall. When needed, your chiropractor will use techniques like soft tissue massage or trigger point therapy to release tension in muscles and ligaments where needed.
Lifestyle and Nutritional Adjustments
Chiropractic is a holistic practice, meaning your practitioner will take your entire body composition, lifestyle, and needs into account when identifying treatments. Occasionally, this can mean providing diet suggestions and supplements or lifestyle adjustments to get you on track to a pain-free life.
Ready To Fix Your Back Pain?
If you’re feeling pain in your back, especially when breathing or making small movements, contact our experienced chiropractor in Clearwater, FL, or call 727-447-4647 to schedule an appointment today!
About the Author: With over three decades of experience, Dr. Jere Jarrett is a highly educated and experienced chiropractor who serves Clearwater, FL, and the surrounding areas. He takes a “whole-body” approach to chiropractic care. Instead of treating symptoms, Dr. Jarrett looks for the underlying cause of pain and discomfort. Call 727-447-4647 to schedule an appointment!