Upper back pain is not as common as lower back pain. The lower back is designed to aid in mobility the upper back is designed for strength. Its main purpose is to protect the important internal organs in the chest. This area is known as the thoracic spine. It is also anatomically different from the lower (lumbar region) in that it is slightly concave and the ribs are attached directly to the spine to provide structural stability which allows for very little motion when compared with the other areas of the spine. Therefore, the common causes of the more common lower back pain are not usually a factor in upper back pain.

Upper back pain is usually caused by muscular irritation, medically called myofascial pain, and/or joint dysfunction. Injuries to spinal discs (such as a herniated disc, or a degenerated disc), spinal stenosis, and spinal instability are a possible cause of upper back pain but are very rare. Because these anatomical causes are very unusual a CT scan or MRI will rarely be effective in diagnosing the cause of the pain. Upper back pain causes can be fairly elusive if the pain can’t be traced back to a specific traumatic event.

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These days, there are so many different supplements for fitness buffs that it can be hard to know which ones are good, and which ones are just what I call ‘fad’ supplements.  Most of the time I am very skeptical when it comes to the latest trends in health supplements, with I have to admit: I am very intrigued when it comes to the Acai berry.  Acai is a berry found deep in the amazon jungle of Brasil (that is how they spell it, so I’m going to do the same since I lived there for several years), and has been used for centuries there in many different ways.   The berry is extremely potent (most drinks made with the berry contain just a small amount of pure berry), but has many amazing benefits.

I am not an expert on the acai berry, I’ll tell you that upfront.  But, from what I have read, when the berry is used as a sports supplement, can have the following benefits:

• High levels of Beta-carotene and Chromium
• Large amounts of calcium, Iodin, and Iron and other vitamins such as manganese and selenium.
• Can help with inflamation
• Can help improve your cardiovascular system

So, are these benefits worth the costs?  That is a good question, especially since they are not cheap.  For me, I think they can be worth it for those people who can afford it.  However, you can also get many of these benefits by eating a well-rounded, healthy diet.

Of course, if you want to learn more about this amazing acai supplement then I would recommend doing a good amount of research online in conjunction with talking with a trusted physical trainer or nutrition specialist before spending the money.