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.