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Dr. Scott R. Seidel, chiropractor with The San Antonio Orthopaedic Group, discusses the most common causes of back pain and his approach to treating them. Topics discussed include spinal joint arthritis, disc herniation, and spinal stenosis. http://www.tsaog.com/our-physicians/physician/scott-seidel
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Why Does My
Back Hurt? Identifying the Cause of Your Back Pain
By: Scott R. Seidel, D.C., The San Antonio Orthopaedic Group
80%
of people will experience
back pain at some point in
their lives.
Source: MedlinePlus
Back pain is the leading
cause of work-related
disability and can lead to
missed work as well as
interfering with daily
activities.
If you suffer from low back
pain, you are not alone.
Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Structural Damage
/ Injury:
Spinal anatomy is quite complex
and damage to any of the
physical structures of the spine
can cause back pain.
These structures include:
• Discs
• Nerves
• Joints
• Ligaments
• Blood Vessels
Source: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Lifestyle Choices:
Unhealthy lifestyle choices lead to a
weaker body and can increase your
likelihood of injury or
incomplete/inefficient healing.
These include:
• High Fat Diets / Obesity
• Sedentary Lifestyle
• Smoking
• Alcohol Use
Genetics:
Genetics have also been shown
to play a role in the development
of back pain.
Source: WebMD
Degenerative Pain
If you are not dealing with a
significant acute injury, most
damage to the spine is due to
degenerative processes and
occurs slowly over time.
Symptoms can present in the
back only or extend to the arms
and legs. They include:
• Localized Stiffness
• Sharp or Stabbing Pain
• Tingling
• Numbness
Degenerative Pain
The 3 Most Common Causes of
Degenerative Back Pain are:
• Herniated Discs
• Arthritis
• Stenosis
Disc Herniation:
The disc is situated between the
vertebrae (spinal bones). It
structure may weaken and
rupture, or become herniated.
Often, a herniated disc will press
on the local nerves, causing pain.
Inflammation resulting from the
disc herniation can also irritate
the local nerves through a
chemical process.
Either way this is quite painful
and can lead to pain in the leg
known as sciatica.
Source: American Chiropractic Association
Spinal Joint Arthritis:
Most of the load on spinal joints is light because the discs of the spine are
meant to absorb compressive forces. However, if the discs degenerate or
herniate, then the condition of these joints can be impacted.
Heavier than normal compressive loads can lead to wearing away of the
cartilage between the vertebrae. In turn, this leads to inflammation, which
causes low back pain.
Foraminal Stenosis:
The nerves of the spine travel from the spinal cord, out of the spinal
column, and to the body via the neural foramen - a tunnel between the
vertebrae that provides a safe conduit for the nerve at each level of the
spine.
However, degenerated discs, herniated discs, arthritis of the spine, or
vertebrae misalignment can lead to a narrowing of this tunnel. The
resulting nerve pressure can result in back pain as well as pain into the
arms or legs.
Source: American Chiropractic Association
What To Do About Your Back Pain:
There is no shortage of prescription and over-the-counter medications that
promise to relieve your back pain. While these medications may help to manage
your pain, they are really only treating your symptoms (pain), not finding and
correcting the source of those symptoms.
In my practice at The San Antonio Orthopaedic Group, I work to identify the reason
for your back pain and then determine how to correct the underlying problem. To
identify the source of your pain, a standard physical examination and X ray or MRI
may be utilized.
While many patients can benefit from a conservative plan that includes spinal
manipulation, home exercise, physical therapy, and self-care advice, there are
instances where additional physicians may be called upon to help. I work directly
with pain management and orthopedic specialists to help develop the most
complete plan for each individual patient.
Dr. Scott R. Seidel specializes in
the non-surgical and drug free
treatment of back and neck pain
in San Antonio, TX.
Call 210-804-5484 or visit us
online to schedule an appointment.
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