What Causes Spine pain?

Spine pain can almost be a misnomer, as much of the pain that is caused in the spine can be felt in other areas of the body, called “referred pain”. This is typically the case when a disc that sits between the vertebrae in the spine is bulging or herniated and leg or arm pain occurs. While the spine itself is not the region that is hurting, the muscles or ligaments that surround the spine can be a source of pain, and occasionally the bones of the back are injured or malformed and will cause the pain on the spine itself. The spine itself has four regions, the cervical, or neck region; the thoracic, middle back region; the lumbar region where 80% of Americans state that they have had some type of spine pain; and the sacral region which is connected to the pelvis.

Spine Composition

The human spine is very durable and does an effective job of holding a person upright, the only being on the planet that does so. It is comprised of a bony structure called the vertebrae, which are small bones stacked upon one another with small discs in between. The spinal cord runs through the vertebrae, with nerves attached that communicate to the brain how our body is to move in reaction to pain or surprise, with the brain sending messages on how to move the body to conduct our daily business. Spine pain comes in when the nerves surrounding the spine are pinched or compromised in some way. The muscles and ligaments that hold up the back are susceptible to pain as well, with it manifesting itself across the spine. Whether from an injury, aging or a pulled muscle, spine pain is treatable.

Spine Pain Diagnosis

Technology has not only developed in the communication industry with the capacity to receive documents, go online and download music to a tiny phone, but also in the business of medicine – where we can see inside the body without making a single incision. CT scans and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) can provide “slices” of what is inside the spine to determine what may be causing the pain. This technology helps spine doctors detect tumors, herniated discs, spine degeneration, fractures and compression, and can report the images in 3-D for efficient evaluation. While the latest and greatest technology is excellent, communication with your physician is critical in describing the spine pain for accurate testing and diagnosis.

Spine Pain Treatment

When we have spine pain, it is usually intense enough to seek diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible. Because the back is required for most movement, it’s essential in our everyday lives to be healthy and pain-free. Most spine doctors will begin with a conservative approach such as hot and cold packs, anti-inflammatory and possibly analgesic medications, physical therapy, massage and a neck brace or lumbar corset. Electric stimulation and epidural corticosteroid injections are prescribed when the pain doesn’t subside, and surgery may be an option. Minimally invasive back surgeries are becoming more readily used, as the success rate is high for relieving pain. Full incision spinal surgery is usually reserved for more serious cases.

Whether your spine pain is actually in the back or is referred, there are solutions that can be found by visiting a spine doctor.