Conditions

The spine can be the source of a variety of pain presentations. Pain may localized to the neck or lower back, or it might radiate down an arm or a leg and cause weakness, tingling, or a burning sensation. The complex structure and biomechanics of the spine means that there are a number of anatomical structures that can cause pain. Spine-related pain can be due to an acute event such as a painful fall or sudden twisting, degenerative changes that occur as we age, or from infections and tumors. Below are some of the most common causes of spine-related pain.

Adjacent Segment Degeneration occurs when a previous spine fusion causes added strain on adjacent vertebral segments. This added strain can speed up the degenerative process and cause pain.

A bulging disc is quite common, and usually remains undetected until the disc bulge comes in contact with adjacent nerves leading to pain and other symptoms.

A Vertebral Compression Fracture occurs when one of the spinal vertebra are compressed to a point that it fractures. Usually caused by a traumatic fall.

Degenerative disc disease is not truly a disease, but more a chain of events that naturally occur as we age. There is no avoiding degenerative disc disease, but you may slow its progress.

Facet joint syndrome refers to the degeneration and arthritic changes that occur in your facet joints. Age and daily wear and tear are the most common culprits

There are many reasons why back or neck surgery may provide lackluster results. Incorrect Diagnosis, Poor Surgical Correction, Poor Healing.

Foraminal stenosis describes the narrowing of the foramen. As the foramen narrows, exiting nerves can become compressed causing pain and other symptoms.

Often interchanged with other terms such as slipped disc, bulging disc, or torn disc, a herniated disc refers to the inner portion of the disc breaking through the outer layer.

Normal wear and tear is a common cause of myelopathy. In fact, myelopathy is one of the most common causes of neck pain due to aging. As your body gets older, the normal wear and tear of every-day stress on your spine causes degenerative changes to occur. These changes affect your facet joints, intervertebral discs, and ligaments.

A pinched nerve happens when debris or inflammation compresses a nerve. Depending on where the nerve is pinched will help determine how treatment is approached.

Radiculitis is a condition that refers to pain and other symptoms caused by nerve irritation or damage. The pain and symptoms are dependent on which nerve is affected.

Radiculopathy refers to an injury to the nerve or nerve root caused by nerve compression or irritation. Radiculopathy in the spine can affect both the neck and lower back.