[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":1514},["ShallowReactive",2],{"body-areas":3,"footer-emotions":186,"condition:\u002Fback\u002Fmiddle-back-pain":295,"related-guides:\u002Fguides\u002Fcan-emotions-cause-physical-pain,\u002Fguides\u002Femotions-body-map,\u002Fguides\u002Flouise-hay-list,\u002Fguides\u002Fspiritual-meaning-of-pain-in-body-parts":1497},[4,13,20,28,36,44,51,59,66,73,79,86,92,98,105,112,118,125,131,138,145,152,159,166,173,180],{"title":5,"description":6,"path":7,"icon":8,"order":9,"comingSoon":10,"to":11,"conditionCount":12},"Head and nervous system","The emotional and spiritual meaning of head and nerve problems: what they may say about control, mental pressure and the balance between head and heart.","\u002Fareas\u002Fhead","i-lucide-brain",1,false,"\u002Fhead",12,{"title":14,"description":15,"path":16,"icon":17,"order":18,"comingSoon":10,"to":19,"conditionCount":12},"Eyes and ears","The emotional and spiritual meaning of eye and ear problems: what they may reveal about what you accept to see and hear, and about your inner voice.","\u002Fareas\u002Feyes-and-ears","i-lucide-eye",2,"\u002Feyes-and-ears",{"title":21,"description":22,"path":23,"icon":24,"order":25,"comingSoon":10,"to":26,"conditionCount":27},"Respiratory system","The emotional and spiritual meaning of breathing problems: what colds, coughs and lung issues may say about space, freedom and your taste for life.","\u002Fareas\u002Frespiratory-system","i-lucide-wind",3,"\u002Frespiratory-system",16,{"title":29,"description":30,"path":31,"icon":32,"order":33,"comingSoon":10,"to":34,"conditionCount":35},"Heart and circulation","The emotional and spiritual meaning of heart and circulation problems: what they may reveal about love, joy of living and the pressure you carry.","\u002Fareas\u002Fheart-and-circulation","i-lucide-heart-pulse",4,"\u002Fheart-and-circulation",10,{"title":37,"description":38,"path":39,"icon":40,"order":41,"comingSoon":10,"to":42,"conditionCount":43},"Digestive system","The emotional and spiritual meaning of digestive problems: what stomach and bowel issues may say about what you cannot digest, control and letting go.","\u002Fareas\u002Fdigestive-system","i-lucide-utensils",5,"\u002Fdigestive-system",17,{"title":45,"description":46,"path":47,"icon":48,"order":49,"comingSoon":10,"to":50,"conditionCount":49},"Back","The emotional and spiritual meaning of back problems: what back and neck pain may reveal about support, burdens, flexibility and what you hide behind you.","\u002Fareas\u002Fback","i-lucide-person-standing",6,"\u002Fback",{"title":52,"description":53,"path":54,"icon":55,"order":56,"comingSoon":10,"to":57,"conditionCount":58},"Skin","The emotional and spiritual meaning of skin problems: how your skin may reflect boundaries, contact, self-image and the emotions you hold inside.","\u002Fareas\u002Fskin","i-lucide-fingerprint",7,"\u002Fskin",13,{"title":60,"description":61,"path":62,"icon":63,"order":64,"comingSoon":10,"to":65,"conditionCount":64},"Joints and bones","The emotional and spiritual meaning of joint and bone problems: what they may reveal about flexibility, rigid thinking, authority and your inner structure.","\u002Fareas\u002Fjoints-and-bones","i-lucide-bone",8,"\u002Fjoints-and-bones",{"title":67,"description":68,"path":69,"icon":70,"order":71,"comingSoon":10,"to":72,"conditionCount":64},"Reproductive system","The emotional and spiritual meaning of reproductive problems: what they may reveal about creativity, femininity, masculinity and your body.","\u002Fareas\u002Freproductive-system","i-lucide-venus-and-mars",9,"\u002Freproductive-system",{"title":74,"description":75,"path":76,"icon":77,"order":35,"comingSoon":10,"to":78,"conditionCount":33},"Kidneys and urinary system","The emotional and spiritual meaning of kidney and urinary problems: what they may say about fear, old emotions that have not been let go, and the balance between what comes in and what leaves.","\u002Fareas\u002Fkidneys","i-lucide-droplets","\u002Fkidneys",{"title":80,"description":81,"path":82,"icon":83,"order":84,"comingSoon":10,"to":85,"conditionCount":18},"Blood sugar","The emotional and spiritual meaning of blood sugar problems: what diabetes and low blood sugar may say about sweetness, sadness, and love you find hard to receive or to give.","\u002Fareas\u002Fblood-sugar","i-lucide-candy",11,"\u002Fblood-sugar",{"title":87,"description":88,"path":89,"icon":90,"order":12,"comingSoon":10,"to":91,"conditionCount":35},"Mouth and teeth","The emotional and spiritual meaning of the mouth and the teeth: what they may say about taking life in, speaking, and biting into a decision.","\u002Fareas\u002Fmouth-and-teeth","i-lucide-smile","\u002Fmouth-and-teeth",{"title":93,"description":94,"path":95,"icon":96,"order":58,"comingSoon":10,"to":97,"conditionCount":18},"Liver and gallbladder","The emotional and spiritual meaning of the liver and the gallbladder: what they may say about anger, criticism, bitterness, and the faith you have in your own possibilities.","\u002Fareas\u002Fliver-and-gallbladder","i-lucide-filter","\u002Fliver-and-gallbladder",{"title":99,"description":100,"path":101,"icon":102,"order":103,"comingSoon":10,"to":104,"conditionCount":18},"Pancreas","The emotional and spiritual meaning of the pancreas: what it may say about digesting feelings, freedom, and the sugar of joy.","\u002Fareas\u002Fpancreas","i-lucide-sun",14,"\u002Fpancreas",{"title":106,"description":107,"path":108,"icon":109,"order":110,"comingSoon":10,"to":111,"conditionCount":18},"Spleen","The emotional and spiritual meaning of the spleen: what it may say about unfinished things, nostalgia, regret, and the fear of having missed your life.","\u002Fareas\u002Fspleen","i-lucide-shield",15,"\u002Fspleen",{"title":113,"description":114,"path":115,"icon":116,"order":27,"comingSoon":10,"to":117,"conditionCount":33},"Muscles and tendons","The emotional and spiritual meaning of muscles and tendons: what they may say about the strength to act, and the conflict between what you think you should do and what you actually want.","\u002Fareas\u002Fmuscles-and-tendons","i-lucide-dumbbell","\u002Fmuscles-and-tendons",{"title":119,"description":120,"path":121,"icon":122,"order":123,"comingSoon":10,"to":124,"conditionCount":18},"Shoulders","The emotional and spiritual meaning of the shoulders: what they may say about the loads you carry, the urge to act, autonomy and the masks you wear.","\u002Fareas\u002Fshoulders","i-lucide-backpack",16.5,"\u002Fshoulders",{"title":126,"description":127,"path":128,"icon":129,"order":43,"comingSoon":10,"to":130,"conditionCount":41},"Arms and hands","The emotional and spiritual meaning of the arms and the hands: what they may say about embracing life, carrying a load, and the work of giving and receiving.","\u002Fareas\u002Farms-and-hands","i-lucide-hand","\u002Farms-and-hands",{"title":132,"description":133,"path":134,"icon":135,"order":136,"comingSoon":10,"to":137,"conditionCount":9},"Hips","The emotional and spiritual meaning of the hips: what they may say about balance, moving forward, and living from yourself rather than for others.","\u002Fareas\u002Fhips","i-lucide-move",17.5,"\u002Fhips",{"title":139,"description":140,"path":141,"icon":142,"order":143,"comingSoon":10,"to":144,"conditionCount":35},"Legs and feet","The emotional and spiritual meaning of the legs and the feet: what they may say about moving forward, standing your ground, and the contact you keep with the earth.","\u002Fareas\u002Flegs-and-feet","i-lucide-footprints",18,"\u002Flegs-and-feet",{"title":146,"description":147,"path":148,"icon":149,"order":150,"comingSoon":10,"to":151,"conditionCount":25},"Hair and nails","The emotional and spiritual meaning of hair and nails: what they may say about vitality, protection, and the strength you use to face change.","\u002Fareas\u002Fhair-and-nails","i-lucide-scissors",19,"\u002Fhair-and-nails",{"title":153,"description":154,"path":155,"icon":156,"order":157,"comingSoon":10,"to":158,"conditionCount":18},"Breasts","The emotional and spiritual meaning of the breasts: what they may say about giving and receiving, mothering, and the balance between the feeling side and the practical side of a life.","\u002Fareas\u002Fbreasts","i-lucide-flower-2",20,"\u002Fbreasts",{"title":160,"description":161,"path":162,"icon":163,"order":164,"comingSoon":10,"to":165,"conditionCount":18},"Thyroid","The emotional and spiritual meaning of the thyroid: what it may say about speech, creativity, and the moment when you feel you have to stay silent.","\u002Fareas\u002Fthyroid","i-lucide-mic",21,"\u002Fthyroid",{"title":167,"description":168,"path":169,"icon":170,"order":171,"comingSoon":10,"to":172,"conditionCount":18},"Glands","The emotional and spiritual meaning of the pituitary, the pineal and the adrenal glands: what they may say about balance, inner vision, and the body's answer to danger.","\u002Fareas\u002Fglands","i-lucide-orbit",22,"\u002Fglands",{"title":174,"description":175,"path":176,"icon":177,"order":178,"comingSoon":10,"to":179,"conditionCount":18},"Lymph","The emotional and spiritual meaning of the lymph: what it may say about feelings that can no longer be held, insecurity, and the need for joy to circulate.","\u002Fareas\u002Flymph","i-lucide-waves",23,"\u002Flymph",{"title":181,"description":182,"path":183,"icon":48,"order":184,"comingSoon":10,"to":185,"conditionCount":64},"Whole body","The emotional and spiritual meaning of whole-body symptoms: fever, tiredness, weight and sweating, and what they say about energy and protection.","\u002Fareas\u002Fwhole-body",24,"\u002Fwhole-body",[187,190,193,196,199,202,205,208,211,214,217,220,223,226,229,232,235,238,241,244,247,250,253,256,259,262,265,268,271,274,277,280,283,286,289,292],{"title":188,"path":189},"Abandonment","\u002Femotions\u002Fabandonment",{"title":191,"path":192},"Aggressiveness","\u002Femotions\u002Faggressiveness",{"title":194,"path":195},"Agoraphobia","\u002Femotions\u002Fagoraphobia",{"title":197,"path":198},"Anger","\u002Femotions\u002Fanger",{"title":200,"path":201},"Anguish","\u002Femotions\u002Fanguish",{"title":203,"path":204},"Anxiety","\u002Femotions\u002Fanxiety",{"title":206,"path":207},"Apathy","\u002Femotions\u002Fapathy",{"title":209,"path":210},"Apprehension","\u002Femotions\u002Fapprehension",{"title":212,"path":213},"Boredom","\u002Femotions\u002Fboredom",{"title":215,"path":216},"Burnout","\u002Femotions\u002Fburnout",{"title":218,"path":219},"Claustrophobia","\u002Femotions\u002Fclaustrophobia",{"title":221,"path":222},"Crying","\u002Femotions\u002Fcrying",{"title":224,"path":225},"Dependence","\u002Femotions\u002Fdependence",{"title":227,"path":228},"Depression","\u002Femotions\u002Fdepression",{"title":230,"path":231},"Emotivity","\u002Femotions\u002Femotivity",{"title":233,"path":234},"Fear","\u002Femotions\u002Ffear",{"title":236,"path":237},"Grief","\u002Femotions\u002Fgrief",{"title":239,"path":240},"Guilt","\u002Femotions\u002Fguilt",{"title":242,"path":243},"Hate","\u002Femotions\u002Fhate",{"title":245,"path":246},"Impatience","\u002Femotions\u002Fimpatience",{"title":248,"path":249},"Jealousy","\u002Femotions\u002Fjealousy",{"title":251,"path":252},"Loneliness","\u002Femotions\u002Floneliness",{"title":254,"path":255},"Melancholy","\u002Femotions\u002Fmelancholy",{"title":257,"path":258},"Nostalgia","\u002Femotions\u002Fnostalgia",{"title":260,"path":261},"Phobia","\u002Femotions\u002Fphobia",{"title":263,"path":264},"Regret","\u002Femotions\u002Fregret",{"title":266,"path":267},"Rejection","\u002Femotions\u002Frejection",{"title":269,"path":270},"Resentment","\u002Femotions\u002Fresentment",{"title":272,"path":273},"Sadness","\u002Femotions\u002Fsadness",{"title":275,"path":276},"Shame","\u002Femotions\u002Fshame",{"title":278,"path":279},"Sorrow","\u002Femotions\u002Fsorrow",{"title":281,"path":282},"Stress","\u002Femotions\u002Fstress",{"title":284,"path":285},"Timidity","\u002Femotions\u002Ftimidity",{"title":287,"path":288},"Weariness","\u002Femotions\u002Fweariness",{"title":290,"path":291},"Withdrawal","\u002Femotions\u002Fwithdrawal",{"title":293,"path":294},"Worry","\u002Femotions\u002Fworry",{"condition":296,"area":705,"related":930,"products":1496},{"id":297,"title":298,"affirmation":299,"aka":300,"area":307,"body":308,"dateModified":644,"datePublished":644,"description":645,"extension":646,"group":647,"guides":648,"medicalSources":653,"meta":660,"navigation":661,"path":662,"reflectionQuestions":663,"related":670,"sameAs":674,"seo":677,"seoTitle":678,"sources":679,"stem":686,"summary":687,"supportIntro":688,"themes":689,"whenToSeeADoctor":696,"__hash__":704},"conditions\u002Fconditions\u002Fback\u002Fmiddle-back-pain.md","Middle back pain","I let the past rest and come back to a calm here and now. Asking for help is a sign of intelligence, and I allow myself to receive it.",[301,302,303,304,305,306],"Mid back pain","Thoracic back pain","Pain between the shoulder blades","Thoracic spine pain","Dorsal pain","Mal au milieu du dos","back",{"type":309,"value":310,"toc":621},"minimark",[311,316,320,328,335,339,342,345,350,357,361,364,368,375,379,382,386,397,410,414,417,424,428,431,437,441,448,460,464,471,474,478,481,490,494,501,504,508,511,527,531,534,541,545,548,560,563,567,570,573,577,580],[312,313,315],"h2",{"id":314},"what-middle-back-pain-is","What middle back pain is",[317,318,319],"p",{},"Middle back pain is pain in the thoracic spine, the twelve vertebrae between the base of the neck and the bottom of the ribcage, often felt between or below the shoulder blades. This part of the spine is held firmly by the ribs, so it moves less than the neck or the lower back and is injured less often. The vertebrae are numbered T1 to T12; in French they are often called D1 to D12, for \"dorsal\".",[317,321,322,323,327],{},"Most middle back pain comes from the muscles and ligaments: poor posture, long hours sitting or looking down, lifting or twisting, a strain from sport, or the tight shoulders that come with ",[324,325,326],"a",{"href":282},"stress",". Other causes include worn joints, a slipped disc (rarely at this level), a fracture from osteoporosis or injury, and shingles before the rash appears. Pain felt in the middle back can also come from organs nearby: the heart, the lungs, the gallbladder, the stomach or the kidneys. That is why pain here with chest pain, breathlessness or fever needs prompt medical attention. Ordinary muscular pain usually improves with gentle movement, heat, simple pain relief and attention to posture.",[317,329,330,331,334],{},"For the back as a whole, see ",[324,332,333],{"href":50},"the back",".",[312,336,338],{"id":337},"the-emotional-meaning-of-middle-back-pain","The emotional meaning of middle back pain",[317,340,341],{},"The middle of the back covers the large thoracic region between the heart and the lumbar vertebrae. Spiritually, it is a region of emotional and affective guilt.",[317,343,344],{},"Pain here is read as a clear sign of a difficult relationship with life and with the situations you are going through. You often have decisions to make, but you keep doubting them, and doubting that you will be able to stand by them. This part of the back is also tied to the outward movement of your life energy. As you mature and gain experience, qualities such as trust, love and detachment, meaning free will in matters of the heart, are put to the test.",[346,347,349],"h3",{"id":348},"guilt-bitterness-and-being-the-pillar","Guilt, bitterness and being the pillar",[317,351,352,353,356],{},"Back pain in this region, including a rounded back, can carry ",[324,354,355],{"href":240},"guilt"," in situations where you have no reason to feel guilty, bitterness, or low confidence linked to a life that feels very heavy to carry. You may believe you have to be the pillar and keep the existing structure running. You may feel that people are \"always on your back\", or that you are the only one doing everything.",[346,358,360],{"id":359},"powerless-and-needing-help","Powerless, and needing help",[317,362,363],{},"Pain in the middle back is also read as a strong sense of powerlessness in front of a current situation that is hard to handle, one where you would need help. Not always knowing where to stand when you have choices to make, you often put others' needs before your own, and bitterness follows. Being touchy can make you close up. Despair can appear when you do not feel supported enough emotionally, and insecurity adds to it.",[346,365,367],{"id":366},"living-in-the-past","Living in the past",[317,369,370,371,374],{},"You tend to hold back your emotions and live a great deal in the past. You stay attached to it and go round in circles, feeling unsteady and ",[324,372,373],{"href":204},"anxious",", with a troubled conscience. The aim, spiritually, is a more active expression of the energy of life through you.",[312,376,378],{"id":377},"what-each-vertebra-may-suggest","What each vertebra may suggest",[317,380,381],{},"The twelve thoracic vertebrae each carry a nuance of their own. If a doctor, osteopath or physiotherapist has named the level of your pain, these are questions to explore, not conclusions.",[346,383,385],{"id":384},"t1-d1-pushing-to-the-limit","T1 (D1): pushing to the limit",[317,387,388,389,392,393,396],{},"The first thoracic vertebra is read as reacting strongly when you push yourself to the end of your mental, physical or emotional strength, at work, in sport or anywhere else. It is also said to dislike any \"boost\", from alcohol or another drug. Your sensitivity is raw. You feel ",[324,390,391],{"href":201},"anguish"," and build ways to protect yourself so as not to be hurt: coldness, or wounding words that keep people at a distance. Withdrawing stops anyone from \"getting in\" or having too much power over you. Some people read weight gain in the same way, as a protection that takes up more room. It can also hide a ",[324,394,395],{"href":285},"timidity"," that grows stronger when you fear losing people's love.",[317,398,399,400,404,405,409],{},"You may be uncompromising, with little patience for disorder. Fear of losing someone's love, or the death of someone close, can freeze you, so you do not dare to act or take your place. The risk is curling up on yourself, turning dark thoughts over and condemning yourself for past experiences. This vertebra is linked to the arms from the elbows to the fingertips, and to breathing troubles such as a ",[324,401,403],{"href":402},"\u002Frespiratory-system\u002Fcough","cough"," or ",[324,406,408],{"href":407},"\u002Frespiratory-system\u002Fasthma","asthma",". The invitation is to open to love, welcoming and respecting who you are.",[346,411,413],{"id":412},"t2-d2-emotions-that-are-stifled","T2 (D2): emotions that are stifled",[317,415,416],{},"The second vertebra is read as an alarm bell that rings quickly when your emotions are touched. If you build up feelings and smother them, back pain is the message. It reacts when you feel you have no place in life or in society, that life is unfair and you are its victim. Family conflict and disharmony are lived intensely, and you feel oppressed and stifled, emotionally as much as physically.",[317,418,419,420,423],{},"Ask what your place is within your family, and especially with your father. Was there a great lack there? Are you carrying too much of the family's safety on your shoulders? Old ",[324,421,422],{"href":270},"resentment"," may have built up, and you may keep stirring old memories instead of looking at the future with confidence. A new situation can bring fear of the unknown: will there be too much responsibility, will anyone support you? If you doubt yourself, you may play the tough one and become controlling, while trembling inside. Irritability and mood swings follow, and you prefer to keep others away so they cannot hurt you. This vertebra is linked to the heart and the lungs, and to a heart that has closed because you no longer want to suffer. The invitation is to learn to ask, to trust yourself to meet new challenges, and to let the past go.",[346,425,427],{"id":426},"t3-d3-what-you-perceive-and-cannot-accept","T3 (D3): what you perceive and cannot accept",[317,429,430],{},"The third vertebra is linked mainly to the lungs and the chest. It is read as reacting to whatever you perceive through your senses that does not sit right with you. Very sensitive to your surroundings, you have built a system of right and wrong, acceptable and unacceptable, and you can become rigid in it. You may judge anyone or anything that does not fit your idea of what is proper, especially a mother who was missing. Injustice can make you angry, even violent.",[317,432,433,434,436],{},"You may also build a \"script\" in your head that distorts reality, because you fear seeing it as it is and because it depresses you. Excessive fears can follow, the wish to live fades, and you no longer feel safe. ",[324,435,272],{"href":273}," can take over, low mood sets in, and you want to cut yourself off from a world that brings only pain, frustration and worry. Grief stifles you, and you withdraw and push your emotions down. The invitation is to see life in a new light: the world is not perfect, and each situation holds something to learn.",[346,438,440],{"id":439},"t4-d4-desires-and-the-search-for-excitement","T4 (D4): desires and the search for excitement",[317,442,443,444,447],{},"The fourth vertebra relates to pleasures, desires and temptations that often go unmet. Your expectations may be out of proportion, and you become irritable and angry because your wishes are not granted and life seems unfair. Underneath lies a great emptiness, often an emotional one, with a pull towards ",[324,445,446],{"href":228},"depression",". To bring some spice into life you may seek excitement, through extreme sports or through drugs, and take refuge in an imaginary world.",[317,449,450,451,454,455,459],{},"The emotions you tried to escape are still there. You may look free and yet be imprisoned in ",[324,452,453],{"href":198},"anger",", sorrow, frustration and bitterness, and in a fear of being smothered by other people's love, which you never learned to recognise or accept. You need to be loved so much, and still you push people away and condemn them. The deepest betrayal is the one turned against yourself, which takes you away from your purpose. This vertebra is linked to the ",[324,456,458],{"href":457},"\u002Fliver-and-gallbladder\u002Fgallstones","gallbladder"," and the liver. The invitation is to recognise and accept your emotions so that you can live your life fully.",[346,461,463],{"id":462},"t5-d5-losing-control","T5 (D5): losing control",[317,465,466,467,470],{},"The fifth vertebra is read as reacting when you feel you are losing control and your power is outside you. You feel unsettled, rage rumbles inside, and panic can come. This often happens in close relationships: a partner, a family member, a close friend. Control can hide behind \"wanting to help\" or \"guiding\" someone, while keeping the position of strength. When things do not go your way, frustration, criticism and ",[324,468,469],{"href":246},"impatience"," follow.",[317,472,473],{},"You may want to look tough, broad-backed, able to take anything, while knowing you are carrying too much. Insecurity, anguish and revolt follow, and you blame those around you. You may not feel part of your family, and feel guilty because you could help them more and cannot. Great ambitions can lead you away from your deeper values, into relationships that disappoint because simple love is missing. You dwell on the negative, live in your head and your structures, and bury yourself in work. This vertebra is linked to the liver and the circulation. The invitation is to listen inside, return to your real values, and let calm and true love come back.",[346,475,477],{"id":476},"t6-d6-self-judgement-and-guilt","T6 (D6): self-judgement and guilt",[317,479,480],{},"The sixth vertebra is read as reacting when you criticise and judge yourself harshly. You may have grown up in a strict, unbending home where rules had to be followed to the letter. Now you feel a crisis of conscience whenever you want to please yourself or take time for yourself: it is \"not right\", you \"do not deserve it\". You analyse every gesture, word and thought to make sure you are \"correct\", cut off from your body and living in your head.",[317,482,483,485,486,489],{},[324,484,239],{"href":240}," gnaws from the inside, anguish is present, and you punish yourself by cutting yourself off. Accepting yourself as you are is hard. You may feel a victim of life, see events as punishments and injustices rather than chances to grow, and refuse new experiences. Frustration, resentment and ",[324,487,488],{"href":249},"jealousy"," can follow. This vertebra is linked to the stomach and the gallbladder. The invitation is to be more flexible and permissive with yourself, and to look for what each event teaches you.",[346,491,493],{"id":492},"t7-d7-the-relentless-worker","T7 (D7): the relentless worker",[317,495,496,497,500],{},"The seventh vertebra is read as a relentless worker. If you push yourself to extremes and ignore your body's need to rest, it raises the alarm. Overwork may be a way to forget or flee someone or something, or to forget money or relationship worries. If you stop, discouragement and dissatisfaction may resurface. A great deal of anger and ",[324,498,499],{"href":192},"aggressiveness"," builds up, as if life had nothing good to offer. You resist, dig your heels in, and stay fixed on obsessive ideas.",[317,502,503],{},"You may hold back your hopes, your spontaneity and your creativity, not knowing how to meet them. Letting others tell you how to live leaves you anguished and vulnerable, not in charge of your own life, while family quarrels you feel responsible for wear you down. This vertebra is linked to the pancreas and the duodenum. The invitation is to appreciate what you have and who you are, to take time for yourself, to let yourself feel sorrow, disappointment and fear instead of letting them boil inside, and to tidy your inner house as you go.",[346,505,507],{"id":506},"t8-and-t9-d8-d9-control-and-the-glass-bubble","T8 and T9 (D8, D9): control and the glass bubble",[317,509,510],{},"The eighth and ninth vertebrae sit at the level of the diaphragm and are read together. They are touched mainly by insecurity rooted in the fear of losing control over a situation or a person. You feel safer when you direct every part of your life and know exactly what to expect. Uncertainty makes you keep everything inside, in a glass bubble where nothing has to be questioned or changed. When that balance is disturbed, these vertebrae curl up in fear, you withdraw, and you push your emotions and your inner strength down.",[317,512,513,514,517,518,521,522,526],{},"T8 points more to a haunting fear of failure and something unresolved in the family. T9 is linked to taking on the role of the victim. Despair can come, with a weariness of living, because you do not know which direction to take and are afraid of getting it wrong. You hesitate partly because you hold on to the past and fear ",[324,515,516],{"href":189},"abandonment"," and ",[324,519,520],{"href":267},"rejection",". Seeing light at the end of the tunnel is hard. Spiritually, the way through is trust in life and letting go of control: by letting go you gain mastery of your life. T8 is linked to the diaphragm and the spleen, T9 to allergies, the adrenal glands and ",[324,523,525],{"href":524},"\u002Fskin\u002Fhives","hives",". The invitation is to let your gentle, deep nature come forward, and to let the child in you live alongside the adult who now takes care of it.",[346,528,530],{"id":529},"t10-d10-feeling-disarmed","T10 (D10): feeling disarmed",[317,532,533],{},"The tenth vertebra is read as reflecting a deep insecurity in front of which you feel disarmed, without resources. Confidence is at its lowest, and you may reach for \"a little pick-me-up\", often more alcohol or another drug than usual, to find courage and forget your worries. When it wears off, the everyday troubles are still there and life looks darker. You see everything in black, refuse life and feel sorry for yourself.",[317,535,536,537,540],{},"You worry over nothing and become angry without being able to show it, so your sensitivity becomes raw and small things set you off, sometimes aggressively. You stand in front of nothing and do not know which way to go or which choices are right. Feeling a victim of circumstances keeps you from taking your life in hand. Being bogged down in emotions makes communication hard, and you look for your place without finding it. This vertebra is linked to the ",[324,538,539],{"href":78},"kidneys",", read as the seat of fear. The invitation is to trust yourself, see the beauty around you and inside you, find the courage to ask for help, and take back the reins of your life.",[346,542,544],{"id":543},"t11-d11-a-distorted-self-image","T11 (D11): a distorted self-image",[317,546,547],{},"The eleventh vertebra is read as reacting when the nervous system is under strain. Great sensitivity on every level leads you to bend reality so as to suffer less, shaping it the way you want. You may see yourself as ugly, unattractive, full of faults, and that very negative self-image makes lasting relationships hard because the fear of rejection is so great. You cut yourself off because you feel invaded and no longer know what belongs to you.",[317,549,550,551,517,555,559],{},"This cannot last, and sooner or later reality returns, bringing an inner tension that can become unbearable. You may feel wounded, powerless to change things, afraid of the future, and not up to the perfect image you want to give. You may dwell on the negative and find it hard to make the effort to get out of it, as if stuck in passivity. This vertebra is linked to the kidneys and to skin conditions such as ",[324,552,554],{"href":553},"\u002Fskin\u002Feczema","eczema",[324,556,558],{"href":557},"\u002Fskin\u002Facne","acne",". The invitation is to accept that change asks for effort and for help, to reconnect with your inner strength, and to let your creative energy flow.",[317,561,562],{},"If that tension ever turns into thoughts of ending your life, please do not stay alone with it. Call emergency services or a crisis line straight away.",[346,564,566],{"id":565},"t12-d12-a-closed-world","T12 (D12): a closed world",[317,568,569],{},"The twelfth vertebra is read as affected when you live in a closed world, folded in on yourself. You tend to criticise, judge and jump to conclusions, not because you checked but because your impressions can mislead you and you read them your own way. A lot of anger gnaws at you from the inside. Your mind is very busy and your sensitivity raw. You build castles in the air and invent scenarios that let you avoid your responsibilities.",[317,571,572],{},"Finding it hard to deal with the people around you, you live with a great deal of insecurity and perfectionism. Dark thoughts can take hold, and envy of what others have. You suffocate under aggressiveness, sorrow and a feeling of abandonment, and wear a mask to protect yourself from more disappointment, especially in love. This vertebra is linked to the intestines, the joints, the lymphatic circulation and sometimes the fallopian tubes. The invitation is to communicate, and to go and check with the people concerned to clear away doubt and insecurity, so you see more clearly and calm can settle.",[312,574,576],{"id":575},"a-gentler-way-to-hold-it","A gentler way to hold it",[317,578,579],{},"Middle back pain usually has a muscular cause, and pain here with chest symptoms always needs a doctor first. The emotional perspective asks what you are carrying between your shoulder blades.",[581,582,583,591,597,603,609,615],"ul",{},[584,585,586,590],"li",{},[587,588,589],"strong",{},"Be clear with yourself and others."," Say what is true now, without carrying the feelings of a limping past into it.",[584,592,593,596],{},[587,594,595],{},"Ask for help."," Needing help and encouragement is not shameful. It is an intelligent step that lets you move forward.",[584,598,599,602],{},[587,600,601],{},"Put the pillar down for a moment."," Notice where you are holding everything up alone, and what could be shared.",[584,604,605,608],{},[587,606,607],{},"Separate real guilt from borrowed guilt."," Ask whether you are actually responsible for what you feel guilty about.",[584,610,611,614],{},[587,612,613],{},"Watch the ego and the fears."," Remember your own identity, and notice when fear is steering.",[584,616,617,620],{},[587,618,619],{},"Turn inward."," Meditation or contemplation is a way to listen to the part of you that keeps watch, and many answers can come from there.",{"title":622,"searchDepth":18,"depth":18,"links":623},"",[624,625,630,643],{"id":314,"depth":18,"text":315},{"id":337,"depth":18,"text":338,"children":626},[627,628,629],{"id":348,"depth":25,"text":349},{"id":359,"depth":25,"text":360},{"id":366,"depth":25,"text":367},{"id":377,"depth":18,"text":378,"children":631},[632,633,634,635,636,637,638,639,640,641,642],{"id":384,"depth":25,"text":385},{"id":412,"depth":25,"text":413},{"id":426,"depth":25,"text":427},{"id":439,"depth":25,"text":440},{"id":462,"depth":25,"text":463},{"id":476,"depth":25,"text":477},{"id":492,"depth":25,"text":493},{"id":506,"depth":25,"text":507},{"id":529,"depth":25,"text":530},{"id":543,"depth":25,"text":544},{"id":565,"depth":25,"text":566},{"id":575,"depth":18,"text":576},"2026-10-06","The emotional and spiritual meaning of middle back pain: guilt, the past, feeling unsupported, and what each thoracic vertebra may be carrying.","md","middle-back",[649,650,651,652],"\u002Fguides\u002Fcan-emotions-cause-physical-pain","\u002Fguides\u002Femotions-body-map","\u002Fguides\u002Flouise-hay-list","\u002Fguides\u002Fspiritual-meaning-of-pain-in-body-parts",[654,657],{"name":655,"url":656},"NHS: Back pain","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nhs.uk\u002Fconditions\u002Fback-pain\u002F",{"name":658,"url":659},"MedlinePlus: Back Pain","https:\u002F\u002Fmedlineplus.gov\u002Fbackpain.html",{},true,"\u002Fconditions\u002Fback\u002Fmiddle-back-pain",[664,665,666,667,668,669],"Where do I feel guilty in a situation that is not mine to feel guilty about?","Which part of my past do I keep turning over instead of living today?","Do I believe I have to be the pillar, and that I am the only one doing everything?","Which decision am I doubting, and am I afraid I will not be able to stand by it?","Where do I put other people's needs before mine, and then feel bitter?","What help do I need right now, and what stops me from asking for it?",[671,672,673],"\u002Fback\u002Fupper-back-and-neck-pain","\u002Fback\u002Flower-back-pain","\u002Fheart-and-circulation\u002Fangina",[675,676],"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FMiddle_back_pain","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wikidata.org\u002Fwiki\u002FQ6841655",{"title":298,"description":645},"Middle Back Pain Spiritual Meaning: Vertebra by Vertebra",[680],{"author":681,"work":682,"entries":683,"pages":685},"Jacques Martel","Le Grand Dictionnaire des Malaises et des Maladies",[684],"Dos (maux de ...) — Milieu du dos (12 vertèbres dorsales)","154–159","conditions\u002Fback\u002Fmiddle-back-pain","Spiritually, middle back pain is often linked to emotional guilt, to a past you keep going back to, and to feeling that you must be the pillar with no one to support you. Each of the twelve thoracic vertebrae adds its own nuance.","If this reading resonates with you, a quiet moment of meditation or contemplation each day, to listen to what is going on inside, can be a good next step.",[690,691,692,693,694,695],"Emotional guilt","Holding on to the past","Being the pillar","Feeling unsupported","Control and insecurity","Asking for help",[697,698,699,700,701,702,703],"Pain between the shoulder blades or in the middle of the back with chest pain, breathlessness, sweating, nausea or pain in the arm or jaw. Call emergency services, as this can be a heart attack.","Sudden, severe tearing pain in the chest or back. Call emergency services.","Middle back pain with fever, a cough, or pain that worsens when you breathe in.","Pain under the right shoulder blade after eating, with yellow skin or eyes, or pain in the side with fever or blood in the urine.","Back pain after a fall or injury, or with numbness, weakness, or loss of bladder or bowel control.","Pain that is constant, wakes you at night, or comes with unexplained weight loss or a history of cancer.","If you are having thoughts of ending your life, call emergency services or a crisis line now. In the UK you can call Samaritans on 116 123.","RxEEBVsZyV6YvCr9NcR8qz5UlBnCyH8OWeqWsG3ryq4",{"id":706,"title":45,"body":707,"comingSoon":10,"dateModified":644,"datePublished":884,"description":46,"extension":646,"groups":885,"guides":897,"icon":48,"medicalSources":898,"meta":899,"navigation":661,"order":49,"path":47,"reflectionQuestions":900,"seo":907,"seoTitle":908,"sources":909,"stem":915,"themes":916,"whenToSeeADoctor":922,"__hash__":929},"areas\u002Fareas\u002Fback.md",{"type":309,"value":708,"toc":871},[709,712,715,721,725,728,731,735,739,746,750,753,756,759,763,766,770,773,777,780,784,787,819,823,830,833],[317,710,711],{},"Your spine is made of 33 vertebrae stacked on top of each other, from the neck down to the tailbone. Together with the muscles, ligaments and discs around them, they hold you upright, protect your spinal cord and allow you to bend, twist and turn. Back pain is one of the most common health complaints in the world: most people experience it at some point in their life.",[317,713,714],{},"In the emotional and symbolic approach to health, the back represents support: the support we receive from life and from others, and the support we give. The spine is our inner pillar. When the back hurts, it can be an invitation to look at the burdens we carry, how supported we feel, and what we may have placed behind us so as not to see it.",[716,717,718],"note",{},[317,719,720],{},"This page offers a symbolic and emotional perspective. It is meant to complement medical care, never to replace it. If you have back pain after an injury, with numbness, weakness, fever or loss of bladder or bowel control, see a doctor urgently.",[312,722,724],{"id":723},"what-your-back-represents","What your back represents",[317,726,727],{},"Like the pillar of a building, the spine represents support, protection and resistance. It supports us in every situation of our life. It is our physical and inner pillar: without it, we collapse. In this reading, it also symbolises our most fundamental energy, as well as our flexibility and resilience in the face of life's events. It gives us the freedom to move and to turn in the directions we choose.",[317,729,730],{},"The back is also a place of protection. When we feel powerless in front of a person or a situation, we can \"turn our back\". And it is where, symbolically, we put everything we do not want to see or show: painful or confusing experiences, the past, what is unconscious, and sometimes even dreams and desires we no longer believe we can fulfil.",[312,732,734],{"id":733},"common-emotional-themes","Common emotional themes",[346,736,738],{"id":737},"lack-of-support","Lack of support",[317,740,741,742,745],{},"Back pain is often associated with not feeling supported enough, whether emotionally, financially or practically. When the load is too heavy, or support is missing, the back reacts. We may ",[324,743,744],{"href":234},"fear"," being let down by the people around us, or by life itself.",[346,747,749],{"id":748},"being-fed-up","Being \"fed up\"",[317,751,752],{},"In French, being fed up is literally having \"a full back\". When we can no longer bear what is happening, when we feel backed into a corner or feel that someone is always \"on our back\", the back may protest.",[346,754,692],{"id":755},"being-the-pillar",[317,757,758],{},"We may feel we are the pillar of our family, our workplace or any group we belong to. What would happen if we were not there? Would everything fall apart? Carrying this role alone can weigh heavily on the spine.",[346,760,762],{"id":761},"leaning-on-others-without-trusting-them","Leaning on others without trusting them",[317,764,765],{},"The back can also show that we lean on something or someone outside ourselves, without fully trusting them. This makes it hard to move forward, and can leave us frustrated and limited in what we dare to put forward.",[346,767,769],{"id":768},"what-we-hide-behind-us","What we hide behind us",[317,771,772],{},"Because the back is where we put what we do not want to see, back pain may point to a deep hurt that we cannot yet express, or to a situation we refuse to look at, like an ostrich with its head in the sand. It can also relate to a feeling of betrayal, of being \"stabbed in the back\".",[346,774,776],{"id":775},"pride-or-submission","Pride or submission",[317,778,779],{},"Posture itself tells a story. When we react against authority or want to stand our ground, we may stiffen our back out of pride. When we feel submissive, afraid or weak, we may bend it. A back that is supple but strong is often read as a sign of mental flexibility and an open mind.",[312,781,783],{"id":782},"reading-the-signs-where-the-pain-is","Reading the signs: where the pain is",[317,785,786],{},"In this approach, the area of the back that hurts can add nuance. Take these as questions to explore:",[581,788,789,798,807,813],{},[584,790,791,797],{},[587,792,793,794],{},"The neck and ",[324,795,796],{"href":671},"upper back"," relate to the emotions we carry, to communication and to how open we are to life.",[584,799,800,806],{},[587,801,802,803],{},"The ",[324,804,805],{"href":672},"lower back"," relates to material and emotional security, and to our trust in life.",[584,808,809,812],{},[587,810,811],{},"Muscular pain"," in the back may reflect a rigid attitude towards the situations we face.",[584,814,815,818],{},[587,816,817],{},"A displaced vertebra"," may relate to feeling in revolt against a situation, or pursuing an ideal in an aggressive way.",[312,820,822],{"id":821},"caring-for-your-back-from-the-inside","Caring for your back from the inside",[317,824,825,826],{},"The idea is not to blame yourself. Posture, lifting, sitting for long periods, injuries, age and many medical factors play a real role in back pain. The emotional perspective simply adds another question: ",[827,828,829],"em",{},"what am I carrying, and who is supporting me?",[317,831,832],{},"A few gentle practices can support this inner work:",[581,834,835,841,847,853,859,865],{},[584,836,837,840],{},[587,838,839],{},"Look at what bothers you."," Face what you have been putting behind you, and express it. This lightens the load.",[584,842,843,846],{},[587,844,845],{},"Express what you feel."," Writing, talking or sharing helps you integrate life's difficulties instead of storing them in your back.",[584,848,849,852],{},[587,850,851],{},"Assert yourself when you need to."," Saying what you need is a way of supporting yourself.",[584,854,855,858],{},[587,856,857],{},"Let life support you."," Accept help, and trust that you have the strength to carry out your plans.",[584,860,861,864],{},[587,862,863],{},"Rely on your inner resources."," Your intuition can guide you towards the actions you need to take.",[584,866,867,870],{},[587,868,869],{},"Keep moving."," Gentle, regular movement, walking and stretching are among the best things you can do for your back.",{"title":622,"searchDepth":18,"depth":18,"links":872},[873,874,882,883],{"id":723,"depth":18,"text":724},{"id":733,"depth":18,"text":734,"children":875},[876,877,878,879,880,881],{"id":737,"depth":25,"text":738},{"id":748,"depth":25,"text":749},{"id":755,"depth":25,"text":692},{"id":761,"depth":25,"text":762},{"id":768,"depth":25,"text":769},{"id":775,"depth":25,"text":776},{"id":782,"depth":18,"text":783},{"id":821,"depth":18,"text":822},"2026-09-30",[886,890,894],{"id":887,"title":888,"description":889},"lower-back","Lower back","Lower back pain, often linked to material and emotional security, support and the fear of lacking.",{"id":891,"title":892,"description":893},"upper-back-and-neck","Upper back and neck","Upper back and neck pain, often linked to emotions we carry, communication and flexibility.",{"id":647,"title":895,"description":896},"Middle back","The middle of the back, often linked to guilt, the past and emotional support.",[651,652],[],{},[901,902,903,904,905,906],"Do I feel supported in my life, emotionally, financially or practically?","Am I carrying a burden that is too heavy, or that belongs to someone else?","Do I feel that I am the pillar that holds everything together?","What have I put \"behind me\" so as not to have to look at it?","Is there a situation I am \"fed up\" with?","Am I stiffening my back out of pride, or bending it out of fear?",{"title":45,"description":46},"Back Pain Spiritual Meaning: Lower, Middle & Upper Back",[910],{"author":681,"work":682,"entries":911,"pages":914},[912,913],"Colonne vertébrale (en général)","Dos (en général)","119–120, 148–149","areas\u002Fback",[917,918,919,920,692,921],"Support","Burdens","Flexibility","Security","What we hide",[923,924,925,926,927,928],"Numbness around the genitals or buttocks, or loss of bladder or bowel control. Call emergency services.","Weakness, numbness or tingling in both legs, or difficulty walking.","Back pain after a fall, an accident or a blow.","Back pain with fever, unexplained weight loss or a history of cancer.","Severe pain that is constant, gets worse at night or does not ease with rest.","Back pain that lasts more than six weeks.","MysXz3n2yKZNj2m6DkcWqdK32y0zENzuPYMj-6L-6gs",[931,1156,1377],{"id":932,"title":933,"affirmation":934,"aka":935,"area":307,"body":939,"dateModified":884,"datePublished":884,"description":1113,"extension":646,"group":887,"guides":1114,"medicalSources":1117,"meta":1120,"navigation":661,"path":1121,"reflectionQuestions":1122,"related":1129,"sameAs":1131,"seo":1134,"seoTitle":1135,"sources":1136,"stem":1141,"summary":1142,"supportIntro":1143,"themes":1144,"whenToSeeADoctor":1149,"__hash__":1155},"conditions\u002Fconditions\u002Fback\u002Flower-back-pain.md","Lower back pain","I am supported at all times. I let go of burdens that are not mine and trust life to bring me what I need.",[936,937,938],"Low back pain","Lumbago","Lumbar pain",{"type":309,"value":940,"toc":1099},[941,945,952,958,961,965,968,972,975,979,982,986,989,993,1000,1004,1007,1011,1014,1018,1021,1044,1048,1056,1058,1061],[312,942,944],{"id":943},"what-lower-back-pain-is","What lower back pain is",[317,946,947,948,334],{},"Lower back pain is pain between the bottom of the ribs and the top of the legs. It is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and most adults experience it at some point. It can feel like an ache, stiffness, a sharp or shooting pain, and sometimes spreads to the buttocks or down the leg, as with ",[324,949,951],{"href":950},"\u002Fback\u002Fsciatica","sciatica",[317,953,954,955,957],{},"In most cases, lower back pain is \"non-specific\": there is no single identifiable cause, and it improves within a few weeks. It is often linked to muscle strain, poor posture, lifting, sitting for long periods, lack of activity, being overweight or ",[324,956,326],{"href":282},". Less often, it comes from a slipped disc, nerve compression, arthritis or, rarely, more serious conditions. Staying gently active is usually better than bed rest, and physiotherapy, exercise and pain relief can help.",[317,959,960],{},"The emotional reading below does not replace this. It offers another angle, for those who feel that their back also carries what they live.",[312,962,964],{"id":963},"the-emotional-meaning-of-lower-back-pain","The emotional meaning of lower back pain",[317,966,967],{},"In the emotional approach, the lower back, from the waist down to the tailbone, is part of our support system. It symbolises our security, our self-assurance and our trust in life.",[346,969,971],{"id":970},"material-and-emotional-insecurity","Material and emotional insecurity",[317,973,974],{},"Lower back pain is often associated with insecurity about work, money or possessions, and about love. Thoughts like \"I'm afraid of running out\", \"I'll never make it\" or \"I'll never manage that\" express this inner state well. We may be so focused on the material side of life that we feel a painful emptiness, or measure our worth by what we own.",[346,976,978],{"id":977},"after-a-loss-or-a-change","After a loss or a change",[317,980,981],{},"This pain often appears after a job loss, a retirement, a child leaving home or a separation. It can also come when we feel unable to take on the material side of our life, or feel unsupported in our basic and emotional needs.",[346,983,985],{"id":984},"quality-and-quantity","Quality and quantity",[317,987,988],{},"We may feel torn between wanting quality and quantity, both in our relationships and in what we own. We take too much on our shoulders and scatter our energy. We try hard to be loved, and pay a lot of attention to what others think of us.",[346,990,992],{"id":991},"the-only-pillar","The only pillar",[317,994,995,996,999],{},"We may feel that we are the pillar and can only count on ourselves. Sometimes, we even take on this role to feel important. We may also ",[324,997,998],{"href":294},"worry"," about others and carry their problems on our back, wanting to save them.",[346,1001,1003],{"id":1002},"powerlessness-and-bitterness","Powerlessness and bitterness",[317,1005,1006],{},"Feeling powerless in certain situations can make us bitter. We refuse to give in, but we are afraid. In this reading, this sense of powerlessness, when it turns into revolt, can go as far as a \"lumbago\".",[346,1008,1010],{"id":1009},"holding-on-to-routine","Holding on to routine",[317,1012,1013],{},"Change and novelty can feel threatening, because we feel safe in our routine and old habits. This can make us inflexible, wanting to be supported only in our own way. There may always be a \"shadow over the picture\", something hidden that stops us from being fully happy.",[312,1015,1017],{"id":1016},"what-the-circumstances-may-suggest","What the circumstances may suggest",[317,1019,1020],{},"A few nuances to explore:",[581,1022,1023,1029,1038],{},[584,1024,1025,1028],{},[587,1026,1027],{},"Pain with a pinched disc"," may relate to putting too much pressure on ourselves to do things in order to be loved.",[584,1030,1031,1034,1035,1037],{},[587,1032,1033],{},"Pain with frustration towards society",", its directions and the support we expect from it, may point to ",[324,1036,422],{"href":270}," we have not yet expressed.",[584,1039,1040,1043],{},[587,1041,1042],{},"Pain that comes with getting older"," may relate to difficulty accepting the passing of time.",[312,1045,1047],{"id":1046},"questions-the-source-invites-you-to-ask","Questions the source invites you to ask",[581,1049,1050,1053],{},[584,1051,1052],{},"Do I tend to blame others for my difficulties?",[584,1054,1055],{},"Have I taken the time to express my needs?",[312,1057,576],{"id":575},[317,1059,1060],{},"The aim is not to blame yourself for your back pain. It has very real physical causes and deserves proper care. The emotional perspective simply invites you to look at your sense of security and support.",[581,1062,1063,1069,1075,1081,1087,1093],{},[584,1064,1065,1068],{},[587,1066,1067],{},"Let others help in their own way."," Support may already be there, even if it does not look the way you expected.",[584,1070,1071,1074],{},[587,1072,1073],{},"Put down what is not yours."," Other people's burdens belong to them.",[584,1076,1077,1080],{},[587,1078,1079],{},"Recognise your own worth."," Growing from your own value is more solid than waiting for outside recognition.",[584,1082,1083,1086],{},[587,1084,1085],{},"Stop performing."," You do not need to force yourself to give a good image of yourself.",[584,1088,1089,1092],{},[587,1090,1091],{},"Use rest wisely."," If your back makes you slow down, use the time to look at your life and redefine your priorities.",[584,1094,1095,1098],{},[587,1096,1097],{},"Stay gently active."," Walking, stretching and appropriate exercise help most lower back pain heal.",{"title":622,"searchDepth":18,"depth":18,"links":1100},[1101,1102,1110,1111,1112],{"id":943,"depth":18,"text":944},{"id":963,"depth":18,"text":964,"children":1103},[1104,1105,1106,1107,1108,1109],{"id":970,"depth":25,"text":971},{"id":977,"depth":25,"text":978},{"id":984,"depth":25,"text":985},{"id":991,"depth":25,"text":992},{"id":1002,"depth":25,"text":1003},{"id":1009,"depth":25,"text":1010},{"id":1016,"depth":18,"text":1017},{"id":1046,"depth":18,"text":1047},{"id":575,"depth":18,"text":576},"The emotional and spiritual meaning of lower back pain: how it may relate to insecurity, lack of support and carrying other people's burdens.",[649,650,1115,651,1116,652],"\u002Fguides\u002Fjacques-martel-dictionary","\u002Fguides\u002Fpsychosomatic-illness",[1118,1119],{"name":655,"url":656},{"name":658,"url":659},{},"\u002Fconditions\u002Fback\u002Flower-back-pain",[1123,1124,1125,1126,1127,1128],"Am I worried about money, work or possessions at the moment?","Do I feel that I can only count on myself?","Am I carrying other people's problems on my back, or trying to save them?","Did my pain start after a job loss, a retirement, a child leaving home or a separation?","Do I feel supported in my basic needs and my emotional needs?","Am I clinging to my routine because change feels unsafe?",[950,671,1130],"\u002Fback\u002Fmiddle-back-pain",[1132,1133],"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FLow_back_pain","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wikidata.org\u002Fwiki\u002FQ852163",{"title":933,"description":1113},"Lower Back Pain: Spiritual Meaning & Emotional Causes",[1137],{"author":681,"work":682,"entries":1138,"pages":1140},[1139],"Dos (maux de ...) — Bas du dos","159–163","conditions\u002Fback\u002Flower-back-pain","Lower back pain is often read as a sign of insecurity, both material and emotional. It may reflect the fear of lacking, the feeling of being the only pillar, and carrying other people's problems on our back.","If this reading resonates with you, using a period of rest to look at your priorities, rather than pushing through, can be a good next step.",[1145,1146,1147,692,1148],"Material security","Emotional support","Fear of lacking","Resisting change",[1150,1151,1152,926,1153,1154],"Numbness around the genitals, buttocks or inner thighs, or loss of bladder or bowel control. Call emergency services.","Weakness or numbness in one or both legs, or difficulty walking.","Back pain after a fall or an accident.","Constant pain that gets worse at night or when lying down.","Pain that has not improved after six weeks.","UwiAPHJ7_ylH4pZGH_kTMsoo_KD32RiCSH9b740DhJo",{"id":1157,"title":1158,"affirmation":1159,"aka":1160,"area":307,"body":1165,"dateModified":884,"datePublished":884,"description":1332,"extension":646,"group":891,"guides":1333,"medicalSources":1334,"meta":1338,"navigation":661,"path":1339,"reflectionQuestions":1340,"related":1347,"sameAs":1350,"seo":1353,"seoTitle":1354,"sources":1355,"stem":1361,"summary":1362,"supportIntro":1363,"themes":1364,"whenToSeeADoctor":1369,"__hash__":1376},"conditions\u002Fconditions\u002Fback\u002Fupper-back-and-neck-pain.md","Upper back and neck pain","I look at life from every angle with an open mind. I express what I feel and let others support me.",[1161,1162,1163,1164],"Neck pain","Stiff neck","Cervical pain","Upper back pain",{"type":309,"value":1166,"toc":1319},[1167,1171,1178,1184,1187,1191,1194,1198,1201,1205,1208,1212,1215,1219,1228,1232,1235,1239,1242,1246,1248,1277,1279,1282],[312,1168,1170],{"id":1169},"what-upper-back-and-neck-pain-are","What upper back and neck pain are",[317,1172,1173,1174,334],{},"Neck pain and upper back pain are extremely common. They can feel like stiffness, aching, knots in the muscles between the shoulder blades, or pain that limits turning the head. Sometimes the pain spreads to the shoulders or arms, or comes with ",[324,1175,1177],{"href":1176},"\u002Fhead\u002Fheadaches","headaches",[317,1179,1180,1181,1183],{},"Most neck and upper back pain is linked to muscle tension and posture: long hours at a desk or looking down at a phone, sleeping in an awkward position, carrying heavy bags, or ",[324,1182,326],{"href":282},", which tends to make us tense our shoulders. Other causes include minor injuries, whiplash, wear of the joints and discs with age and, less often, nerve compression. Most cases improve within a few weeks with gentle movement, posture changes, heat and pain relief.",[317,1185,1186],{},"The emotional reading below does not replace this. It offers another angle, for those who feel that their neck and shoulders also carry what they live.",[312,1188,1190],{"id":1189},"the-emotional-meaning-of-upper-back-and-neck-pain","The emotional meaning of upper back and neck pain",[317,1192,1193],{},"In the emotional approach, the neck supports the head and links body and mind. It represents flexibility and the ability to look at a situation from every angle. The upper back corresponds to the heart area: it is where we have, or do not have, the strength to carry our emotions.",[346,1195,1197],{"id":1196},"seeing-only-one-side","Seeing only one side",[317,1199,1200],{},"A healthy neck lets us look all around us and see a situation from every side, which makes our view more objective and our decisions better. When we force ourselves to look in only one direction, insist on keeping our view at all costs, or stand up to the people around us, the neck may stiffen. We do not have to shield ourselves from blows in situations that are not ours.",[346,1202,1204],{"id":1203},"swallowed-emotions","Swallowed emotions",[317,1206,1207],{},"The throat is in the neck, and so is the energy centre of communication. When we swallow our emotions instead of expressing them, tension can build up there.",[346,1209,1211],{"id":1210},"communication-and-openness","Communication and openness",[317,1213,1214],{},"The vertebrae of the neck are linked to communication, especially through speech, and to how open we are to life. If we feel that others want to judge, criticise or hurt us, we may close up like an oyster. The neck is also linked to our capacity to assert ourselves, to give our opinion, or to submit, and to our sense of justice.",[346,1216,1218],{"id":1217},"emotions-carried-like-a-ball-and-chain","Emotions carried like a ball and chain",[317,1220,1221,1222,1224,1225,1227],{},"Pain in the upper back is associated with negative emotions we have pushed down and carry like an unwanted weight. We may have high expectations of others, while finding it hard to express our true feelings. ",[324,1223,197],{"href":198},", the ",[324,1226,744],{"href":234}," of not being loved or a lack of emotional support can follow, along with the feeling of having to think of everything and do everything.",[346,1229,1231],{"id":1230},"responsible-for-everyones-happiness","Responsible for everyone's happiness",[317,1233,1234],{},"These high expectations are common in devoted parents who feel frustrated by the heavy load on their shoulders. We feel responsible for other people's happiness, and this becomes hard to carry. Sometimes we would rather turn our back on the world than face it.",[346,1236,1238],{"id":1237},"belonging","Belonging",[317,1240,1241],{},"The neck is also associated with our sense of belonging and our right to be here on earth, which gives us a feeling of security and fullness.",[312,1243,1245],{"id":1244},"what-the-location-may-suggest","What the location may suggest",[317,1247,1020],{},[581,1249,1250,1259,1265,1271],{},[584,1251,1252,1255,1256,1258],{},[587,1253,1254],{},"The top of the neck"," may react when we doubt our intellectual abilities, ",[324,1257,998],{"href":294}," constantly or are rigid in our thinking.",[584,1260,1261,1264],{},[587,1262,1263],{},"The lower neck"," may react to injustice, whether we live it ourselves or see it around us.",[584,1266,1267,1270],{},[587,1268,1269],{},"The middle of the neck",", near the throat, may relate to what we have heard and found offensive, and to opinions and frustrations we do not express.",[584,1272,1273,1276],{},[587,1274,1275],{},"A stiff neck"," may reflect stubbornness and narrow-mindedness.",[312,1278,576],{"id":575},[317,1280,1281],{},"The aim is not to blame yourself for your neck or back pain. It has very real physical causes and deserves proper care. The emotional perspective simply invites you to look at what you are carrying.",[581,1283,1284,1290,1296,1302,1307,1313],{},[584,1285,1286,1289],{},[587,1287,1288],{},"Look from another angle."," When you feel stuck in a disagreement, try to see the situation from the other person's side.",[584,1291,1292,1295],{},[587,1293,1294],{},"Express yourself."," Speaking, writing, music, painting or any other form of expression can release what you have been holding.",[584,1297,1298,1301],{},[587,1299,1300],{},"Stop judging yourself."," Constant self-criticism adds to the weight on your shoulders.",[584,1303,1304,1306],{},[587,1305,595],{}," Accepting that you need others, and learning to ask, is a way of respecting yourself.",[584,1308,1309,1312],{},[587,1310,1311],{},"Share the responsibility."," Others are responsible for their own happiness.",[584,1314,1315,1318],{},[587,1316,1317],{},"Move and stretch."," Regular breaks from screens, gentle neck and shoulder movements and a good sleeping position all help.",{"title":622,"searchDepth":18,"depth":18,"links":1320},[1321,1322,1330,1331],{"id":1169,"depth":18,"text":1170},{"id":1189,"depth":18,"text":1190,"children":1323},[1324,1325,1326,1327,1328,1329],{"id":1196,"depth":25,"text":1197},{"id":1203,"depth":25,"text":1204},{"id":1210,"depth":25,"text":1211},{"id":1217,"depth":25,"text":1218},{"id":1230,"depth":25,"text":1231},{"id":1237,"depth":25,"text":1238},{"id":1244,"depth":18,"text":1245},{"id":575,"depth":18,"text":576},"The emotional and spiritual meaning of upper back and neck pain: how it may relate to carried emotions, stubbornness and over-responsibility.",[649,1115,651,1116,652],[1335],{"name":1336,"url":1337},"NHS: Neck pain","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nhs.uk\u002Fsymptoms\u002Fneck-pain-and-stiff-neck\u002F",{},"\u002Fconditions\u002Fback\u002Fupper-back-and-neck-pain",[1341,1342,1343,1344,1345,1346],"Which emotions am I carrying without expressing them?","Am I insisting on seeing a situation from only one angle?","Who am I standing up to, or refusing to give in to?","Do I feel judged or criticised, and have I closed up like an oyster?","Do I feel responsible for other people's happiness?","Do I dare to ask for help and express my needs?",[672,1176,1348,1349],"\u002Fshoulders\u002Fshoulder-pain","\u002Fback\u002Fstiff-neck",[1351,1352],"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FNeck_pain","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wikidata.org\u002Fwiki\u002FQ3567802",{"title":1158,"description":1332},"Neck & Upper Back Pain: Spiritual Meaning",[1356],{"author":681,"work":682,"entries":1357,"pages":1360},[1358,1359],"Dos (maux de ...) — Haut du dos (7 vertèbres cervicales)","Cou (en général)","125, 149–153","conditions\u002Fback\u002Fupper-back-and-neck-pain","Upper back and neck pain are often read as signs of emotions we carry without expressing them. They may reflect stubbornness, difficulty communicating, and the feeling of having to think of everything and carry everyone.","If this reading resonates with you, finding a way to express what you have been carrying, through words, writing or creativity, can be a good next step.",[1365,1366,1367,1368,919],"Carried emotions","Stubbornness","Communication","Over-responsibility",[1370,1371,1372,1373,1374,1375],"Neck pain after a fall, an accident or a blow to the head. Keep still and seek urgent medical care.","A stiff neck with fever, headache, sensitivity to light or a rash. Seek urgent medical care.","Upper back or neck pain with chest pain, breathlessness or pain spreading to the arm or jaw. Call emergency services.","Numbness, tingling or weakness in the arms or hands.","Pain that is constant, gets worse at night or comes with unexplained weight loss.","Pain that has not improved after a few weeks.","tfxTXk5iTE7qgkYr7caOEu_OBNOLC4lD9r_oIbbFog4",{"id":1378,"title":1379,"affirmation":1380,"aka":1381,"area":1385,"body":1386,"dateModified":1454,"datePublished":1454,"description":1455,"extension":646,"group":1408,"guides":1456,"medicalSources":1457,"meta":1464,"navigation":661,"path":1465,"reflectionQuestions":1466,"related":1470,"sameAs":1473,"seo":1476,"seoTitle":1477,"sources":1478,"stem":1483,"summary":1484,"supportIntro":1485,"themes":1486,"whenToSeeADoctor":1490,"__hash__":1495},"conditions\u002Fconditions\u002Fheart-and-circulation\u002Fangina.md","Angina","I can love without gripping, and I can let help land in me.",[1382,1383,1384],"Angina pectoris","Angor","Chest pain from the heart","heart-and-circulation",{"type":309,"value":1387,"toc":1447},[1388,1392,1400,1404,1410,1421,1425,1428,1431,1434,1436],[312,1389,1391],{"id":1390},"what-angina-is","What angina is",[317,1393,1394,1395,1399],{},"Angina, or angina pectoris, is a tight pain in the chest that comes when the heart muscle is briefly short of blood. The Latin root is a verb for squeezing and choking, which is why the same family of words gives us anguish. It often appears with effort or emotion and eases with rest. It can be the step before a ",[324,1396,1398],{"href":1397},"\u002Fheart-and-circulation\u002Fheart-attack","heart attack",". Medicines, a spray under the tongue, and sometimes a procedure to open or bypass a narrowed artery are ordinary medical care. Cold hands and feet can travel with a heart that is struggling. They are a reason to be examined, not a symbol to decode first.",[312,1401,1403],{"id":1402},"the-emotional-meaning-of-angina","The emotional meaning of angina",[317,1405,802,1406,1409],{},[324,1407,1408],{"href":34},"heart"," is read as the centre of love, and as the engine of the whole system. Angina is the anguish of that centre. Spiritually, this is someone who gives a great deal of love with attachment, until the heart is tired of the worry and the joy has thinned. Blood, in this language, is the joy of living. A flow that falters is read as that joy moving less freely, not as a feeling that closed an artery.",[317,1411,1412,1413,1416,1417,1420],{},"Life, and the things you love, are taken too much to heart. ",[324,1414,1415],{"href":294},"Worries"," and joys are both turned up too high. A situation that is not, in the end, so grave still brings irritation, ",[324,1418,1419],{"href":273},"sadness",", and the sense of having been brushed aside. Inside the chest it feels like a war. The question is who you want held against you for good, and whether you can let them go if the time has come.",[346,1422,1424],{"id":1423},"giving-and-not-being-able-to-receive","Giving, and not being able to receive",[317,1426,1427],{},"Controlling, and keeping everything, is heavier than letting the current of a life move. The empty feeling of letting go can be frightening, especially if the feelings stay hidden. Spasm and a pain through the heart are read as an alarm, a call to notice what is being carried. Great joy can open the same door onto an old sorrow, and the pain arrives then too.",[317,1429,1430],{},"A lot of what is done may be duty rather than pleasure, so the joy stops circulating. Attention sits on other people's happiness and other people's troubles, and your own wellbeing comes last. The spiritual interpretation is wary of giving as sacrifice. It asks whether you restrict the love that is offered back to you, whether help is easy to take, and whether you pass a gift on at once because you do not know how to keep it. In Quebec the heart is sometimes called a potato, and the image is a hot potato: received, and handed straight back.",[317,1432,1433],{},"The other face is the competitive one. Everything is demanded of yourself. The emotional life is set aside so the heart never gets to speak. Giving and receiving are meant to move like vessels that narrow and widen. When that exchange stops, the attention belongs back on the balance, not on another effort for someone else.",[312,1435,576],{"id":575},[581,1437,1438,1441,1444],{},[584,1439,1440],{},"Name one person or plan you are gripping. Ask what loosening would actually cost.",[584,1442,1443],{},"Let one offer of help stay with you, instead of earning it or passing it on.",[584,1445,1446],{},"Phrases about a heart of stone, a hard heart, or no heart at all are worth hearing as descriptions of a climate, and then taking to a doctor if the chest is involved.",{"title":622,"searchDepth":18,"depth":18,"links":1448},[1449,1450,1453],{"id":1390,"depth":18,"text":1391},{"id":1402,"depth":18,"text":1403,"children":1451},[1452],{"id":1423,"depth":25,"text":1424},{"id":575,"depth":18,"text":576},"2026-10-05","The emotional and spiritual meaning of angina: a heart short of blood, love held too tightly, and a joy that has stopped moving through the chest.",[],[1458,1461],{"name":1459,"url":1460},"NHS: Angina","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nhs.uk\u002Fconditions\u002Fangina\u002F",{"name":1462,"url":1463},"MedlinePlus: Angina","https:\u002F\u002Fmedlineplus.gov\u002Fangina.html",{},"\u002Fconditions\u002Fheart-and-circulation\u002Fangina",[1467,1468,1469],"Who or what am I trying to keep pressed against me, past the time to loosen?","Where do I give until I cannot receive?","What would it be like to let one worry be smaller than I have made it?",[1397,1471,1472],"\u002Fheart-and-circulation\u002Fpalpitations","\u002Fheart-and-circulation\u002Fchest-pain",[1474,1475],"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wikidata.org\u002Fwiki\u002FQ180762","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FAngina",{"title":1379,"description":1455},"Angina: Spiritual Meaning & Emotional Causes",[1479],{"author":681,"work":682,"entries":1480,"pages":1482},[1481],"Angine de poitrine ou angor","pp. 45–46","conditions\u002Fheart-and-circulation\u002Fangina","Angina is pain from a heart muscle briefly short of blood. It is read as anguish in the heart, love held with attachment, and a life taken far too much to heart.","If this reading resonates with you, a quiet practice for the heart can sit beside the medicines and the plan your cardiologist has already set.",[1487,1488,1489],"the heart","holding on","joy that has stalled",[1491,1492,1493,1494],"Angina is a warning from the heart, not a mood to sit with.","Crushing chest pain, pain into the arm or jaw, sweat, nausea, or breathlessness needs emergency care, especially if it comes at rest or does not settle.","Do not stop a spray, a beta-blocker, or a blood thinner because the pain seemed to match a feeling.","A stent or a bypass, if one is offered, is a doctor's decision.","wk9ob_uqjMUMZ3OOxn78wJ2dk1Xpus3BTKHOBvMZhm4",[],[1498,1502,1506,1510],{"path":649,"title":1499,"description":1500,"category":1501,"readingTime":56},"Can emotions cause physical pain?","How stress, fear and grief can intensify or contribute to physical pain, where people feel each emotion, and what helps, from medicine and the symbolic view.","emotions",{"path":650,"title":1503,"description":1504,"category":1505,"readingTime":25},"Emotions body map: where feelings settle in the body","A free, printable body map of emotions: where anger, fear, grief, guilt and other feelings are said to settle in the body, with a page for each area.","body-maps",{"path":651,"title":1507,"description":1508,"category":1509,"readingTime":71},"Louise Hay's list of symptoms and emotional causes: what it is and how to use it","What Louise Hay's list of ailments is, how it is built, how it compares with Jacques Martel's dictionary, its limits, and where to read more by body part.","the-approach",{"path":652,"title":1511,"description":1512,"category":1513,"readingTime":84},"Spiritual meaning of pain in body parts: a head-to-toe guide","What pain in each part of the body may mean spiritually, from headaches to heel pain, with the left and right sides and a quick map to every page.","symptoms",1791298635837]