Back Pain OverviewBack pain is usually the result of the wear and tear of the back interfering with the bundles of nerves contained within the spine. These nerves are often pain sensing nerves and when irritated cause severe back pain. This is the overarching process behind most back pain. There are some diseases that involve much more complex processes as well as more emergent evaluation. We will give you an overview of back pain so that you can make educated decisions when talking to your health care provider.
Back Arthritis: This arthritis is the result of micro-fractures to the bony spinal column due to years of wear and tear. These microfractures can be thought of as scars in the bone that get remodeled to be stronger than before, but in the process cause scar tissue build up. When this happens you can have bone rubbing on bone which can create a very painful scenario for the patient. This arthritis is very tough to treat due to the chronicity of its nature. People who are at risk are people who perform strenuous activities such as athletics, soldiers, and hard laborers. People who have a heavy build also are predisposed to arthritis due to the high weight loads being supported by the back. If you have severe back pain due to arthritis typically medications such as ibuprofen and Tylenol are given for pain alleviation. There are also back injections that can be pursued in order to lessen the level of inflammation in problem areas. Physical therapy is also a good option in these patients to make sure back support is reinforced by the musculature. For further questions call 1 919-759-5460. |
Back Pain continuedSpinal Stenosis: This disease is the result of the same micro-fracture and rebuilding process that creates scar tissue in back arthritis. If this scar tissue gets big enough and presses on the spinal cord. This can cause a medical emergency because the spinal cord is crucial to the normal functioning of the entire human body. It houses all of the nerves to the legs, arms, and internal organs. Without its functioning the body cannot react normally to outside stimulus. This disease can lead to paralysis, bowel, and bladder incontinence as well as weakness, numbness and tingling. All of these symptoms are not reversible so if you note any symptoms like this then contact a medical professional immediately.
Disk Herniation: Disk herniation is the result of old age and wear on the spinal column. The spinal column is a stack of bones with shock absorbers in between them. These shock absorbers can bust and rupture into the spinal canal causing spinal cord compression and terrible neurological symptoms such as pain, numbness, tingling, weakness and paralysis. These symptoms are often irreversible if they are not treated immediately. These symptoms prompt emergency medical evaluation in order to decipher a course of treatment. Usually an MRI will need to be done for proper diagnosis of disk herniation. The MRI will show the disk rupture into the canal or placed on top of a crucial spinal nerve causing pain and neuropathy. Then the doctors can decide how to treat. There are a couple ways to treat neuropathy caused by disk herniation. If symptoms are severe a neurosurgeon can operate and remove the disk from the spinal canal. If you are having severe symptoms such as the ones described above then contact your health care provider immediately. If you have further questions about back pain then contact our toll free number. For further questions call 1 919-759-5460. |