Back Pain Overview
Spinal vertebrae are held together by muscles, tendons and ligaments. Between the vertebrae are discs, which act as "shock absorbers" and prevent the vertebrae from hitting one another when you walk, run or jump. They also allow your spine to twist, bend and extend. Since the lower back is the hinge between the upper and lower body and carries most of your weight, it is especially vulnerable to injury and is the site of most reported back pain. When lower back pain strikes, we become acutely aware of just how much we rely on a flexible, strong back.
This color enhanced sagital (lateral) MRI image of the cervical spine shows severe multilevel degenerative changes of the spine with spinal cord compression. The bony spine is blue and the spinal cord is gold. There is a disc herniation at C3-4 and less at C4-5 causing spinal cord compression.
If you are concerned you are developing, or have started showing signs of chronic back pain, take a moment to visit our back pain symptoms page to confirm your suspicions.Click Here to see how you can get your life back in 5 days
You can avoid or prolong the onset of back pain by educating yourself on some simple facts about what causes back pain. Learn about activities you should either avoid or take precautions when attempting to help keep your spine healthy for years to come.
LSI provides relief of back pain through a few different procedures depending on the spinal condition associated with the back pain. We suggest you view our page dedicated to back pain treatment and find out how you can start living life again without restrictions.
If you still have a few questions left unanswered, feel free to contact us directly with your question and we will happily assist you.
Back Pain Causes
The most common causes of lower back pain are:
Pinched Nerves - Pressure or impingement on nerve roots in the spinal canal can be caused by:
Herniated Disc - A herniated disc, (also called bulging disc or slipped disc) is a rupture often brought on by repeated vibration or motion (as during machine use or sport activity, or when lifting improperly), or by a sudden heavy strain or increased pressure to the lower back. Back pain and leg pain can result when the herniated disc pinches one of the nerves. A herniated disc in the lumbar region can affect the nerves that run from your spinal cord to your legs. Compression or inflammation of this nerve causes sciatica - a sharp, shooting pain in your lower back, buttocks and leg.
Degenerative Disc Disease - As we age, the water and protein content of the body's cartilage changes. This change results in weaker, more fragile and thin cartilage. Because both the discs and the joints that stack the vertebrae (facet joints) are partly composed of cartilage, these areas are subject to wear and tear over time (degenerative changes). The gradual deterioration of the disc between the vertebrae is referred to as Degenerative Disc Disease.
Bone Spurs - also termed osteophytes (os-tee-o-fights). Osteophytes may be found in areas affected by arthritis such as the disc or joint spaces where cartilage has deteriorated. The body's production of osteophytes is a futile attempt to stop the motion of the arthritic joint and deal with the degenerative process. It never completely works. The evidence of bony deposits can be found on an x-ray or MRI. A bone spur may cause nerve impingement at the neuroforamen (nu-row for-a-men). The neuroforamen are passageways through which the nerve roots exit the spinal canal. Sensory symptoms include pain, numbness, burning and feeling of "pins and needles" in the extremities below the affected spinal nerve root. Motor symptoms include muscle spasm, cramping, weakness, or loss of muscular control in a part of the body.
Spinal Stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal by a piece of bone, ligamentus flavus thickening or disc material. This can cause weakness in your extremities and typically develops with age.
This color enhanced sagital (lateral) MRI image of the cervical spine shows severe multilevel degenerative changes of the spine with spinal cord compression. The bony spine is blue and the spinal cord is gold. There is a disc herniation at C3-4 and less at C4-5 causing spinal cord compression.
Osteoporosis, which means "porous bones," causes bones to become weak and brittle - so brittle that even mild stresses like bending over, lifting a vacuum cleaner or coughing can cause a fracture. In most cases, bones weaken when you have low levels of calcium, phosphorus and other minerals in your bones. The pain from an osteoporotic spinal fracture can last for several weeks as the bone heals, and typically turns into more of a chronic, achy pain concentrated in the area of the back where the fracture occurred. This aching may be similar to the sensation reported by those with osteoarthritis. A bone density test, which measures bone mass, preferably taken of both a long bone and a vertebral body, is used to diagnose osteoporosis.
Osteoarthritis or Facet Disease is a degenerative joint condition causing slow deterioration of cartilage. Osteoarthritis of the spine results in narrowed cartilage disks between the bones which make up your backbone. Without this cartilage cushioning, the joints (facets) between adjacent bones compress and become irregular, causing inflammation, pain, swelling and stiffness. Your body tries to compensate for this form of arthritis, but the repairs are often inadequate, resulting in little growths of additional bone called bone spurs.
Cervical spondylosis is a common condition resulting from degeneration (osteoarthritis) of the bones of the neck (cervical vertebrae). This can lead to increasing pain in the neck and arm, weakness, and changes in sensation.
Spinal deformities such as scoliosis, which is an abnormal curvature of the spine. Most cases are mild, but severe cases may require treatment with braces or surgery. Small injury to a muscle (strain) or a ligament (sprain) can occur from improper lifting, excess body weight and poor posture. Strains and sprains can also develop from carrying heavy handbags or briefcases or sleeping in an awkward position.
Compression fractures, are more common among postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, or after long-term corticosteroid use. In a person with osteoporosis, even a small amount of force put on the spine, such as from a sneeze, may cause a compression fracture.
Fractures of the vertebrae are caused by significant force such as an automobile or bicycle accident, a direct blow to the spine, or compressing the spine by falling onto the buttocks or head).
At LSI, we perform a foraminotomy, laminotomy, percutaneous endoscopic discectomy, or a facet thermal ablation procedure to treat back pain. Our professional staff have performed these surgeries hundreds of times helping their patients regain freedom to live life with back pain relief. We hope you will take a moment to browse a few of our previous patient testimonials to see how we can help you too reclaim your freedom.
If you have any questions remaining, or would like to know how LSI can help your symptoms, please feel free to contact us and we will be happily assist you in any way we can.
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