First, you can try to alleviate the pain of a pinched nerve in the upper back with physical therapy. Physical therapy aims to strengthen areas of weakness that might be causing you pain. Allopathic doctors also recommend painkillers but this can create a lifetime of dependency on pharmaceutical drugs. Non-traditional medicines have proven helpful for generations: acupuncture, yoga therpay, and acupressure to name a few. If neither of the traditional options help (physical therapy, painkillers), doctors may recommend surgery as the only remaining option. You might need to consult a neurosurgeon if you wish to take this route.