subject: Can Bankruptcy Save Your Home? [print this page] Back pain is one of the most common problems of American adults. In fact, eight out of ten Americans will experience lower back pain at some point in their life due to a variety of factors. Many of the causes of lower back pain may result from misalignment of the spine or spinal disorders. Listed below are common causes and treatments for the kind of spinal problems that most people deal with.
Pinched Nerve
One of the most common causes of spinal pain is a pinched nerve. What this means is that a nerve has been compressed or constricted in some way, causing severe neck and back pain. This may often be the result of a herniated disc. The area in between the vertebrae of the spine is made of a gelatinous disc. A herniated disc is the result of the inner material of the disc rupturing and causing compression on the nerves. Symptoms might include numbness, severe pain radiating from the affected area, tingling, and burning sensations. Treatment may be administered from a licensed chiropractor and may focus on loosening the muscles around the pained area and reducing the constriction of the nerve.
Spinal stenosis
Spinal stenosis refers to a narrowing of the spinal canal, through which important nerves run. This may be causes by several things including thickened ligaments along the spinal canal, enlarged cartilage resulting from arthritis, and bony spurs. Spinal stenosis is most common in people over the age of 50 years old and may be caused by degeneration as a result of aging. Treatments include surgery and chiropractic spinal adjustments.
Degenerative Disc Disease
This term refers to a syndrome that usually begins as some kind of injury to the lower back as a result of extensive twisting, which may be caused by repetitive common movements or overextension to due something like a golf swing. Later inflammation and compression of the nerves near the injured disc can cause severe lower back pain. A combination of treatments may help those with degenerative disc disease including physical therapy, chiropractic adjustments, and medication. In severe cases, surgery may be needed.
Sciatica
Sciatica is a set of symptoms caused by compression or irritation in the sciatic nerve or the five nerves that lead to the sciatic nerve. This sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body and also the main nerve that runs down the leg. Sciatica is not a diagnosis but merely a description of the symptoms.
Sciatica can be caused by a wide variety of problems, including slipped discs, spinal deformities, and even pregnancy as the growing fetus causes the uterus to push on sensitive nerves. Treatment includes regular chiropractic adjustments, anti-inflammatory medications, and physical therapy. Like other spinal problems, treatment may require surgery.
