Understanding back pain and what causes it Back strain is a fairly broad category called “soft tissue injury,” which covers muscles, tendons and ligaments. About 80% of back and neck pain is muscle-related. The stomach muscles, or abdominals, enable the back to bend forward. They also assist in lifting. The abdominals work with the buttock muscles to support [Read more...]

Like back strain, neck strain is an irritation to tendons, muscles and ligaments in the upper back and neck area. Whiplash is characterized by a collection of symptoms that occur following damage to the neck, usually because of sudden extension and flexion, such as in a car accident. Neck Pain Symptoms Symptoms such as neck pain may be [Read more...]

The spine is composed of many vertebrae stacked on top of each other. Between these bones are discs, which act as shock absorbers. The shock-absorbing discs resemble jelly donuts,  each having a jelly-like center.  As we age, the discs naturally become less flexible and more brittle. Normal disc degeneration which naturally occurs with old age, can also cause [Read more...]

What causes NUMBNESS or WEAKNESS in a foot or hand and why pain is a bad emergency signal When a disc herniates, the disc nucleus can push outward through the disc wall and impinge and put pressure on a nearby nerve root that branches off from the spinal cord. When that happens with a lumbar disc in the LOW [Read more...]

What is kyphosis and what symptoms are caused by it? Kyphosis and lordosis are types of spinal deformities. While slight curvature of the spine is normal and healthy, there are some cases where it is over-pronounced and can cause both cosmetic deformity and health risks. When the spine curves inward too much in the low back, it is called [Read more...]

Stenosis is a condition that can develop as a person ages, particularly in those over 50. It is characterized by a narrowing of the spinal canal which places pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, because there is not enough room for them. It resembles placing a ring on your finger. If the finger becomes injured or inflamed, [Read more...]

Spondylolysis relates to instability of specific bones in the low back. It a very common cause of back pain, particularly in adolescents. Gymnasts who perform routines that bend and arch the back are often victims of spondylolysis or spondylolisthesis. Causes Spondylolisthesis and spondylolysis are caused by joint instability in the low back. The rear part of spinal vertebrae [Read more...]

What is Flatback Syndrome and how are Harrington Rods involved? When the proper curves in the spine that support an economical stance requiring minimum energy to stand or walk fail, the result is a condition called Flatback syndrome. Some of the symptoms include having trouble maintaining a proper posture, low back pain and thigh pain. Since the person [Read more...]

While pain is a good indicator of an emergency for many health related problems, pain is NOT a good indicator of an emergency with spine problems. Unlike other orthopedic injuries where pain is an indicator of an emergency (e.g. fracture, dislocation), with spine problems, pain is not a good indicator of an emergency. That’s because a back spasm [Read more...]

Myelopathy is the result of a condition that compresses the spinal cord and affects nerve functions. Myelopathy disrupts the transmission of nerve signals between the brain and other body parts. Myelopathy is sometimes confused with myopathy, but the two are distinct conditions that affect different body parts. While myelopathy affects the nerves in the spinal cord, myopathy [Read more...]