Recently we had a reader write in with the following question: “It feels like I have fireworks going off in my back – what could be causing this pain?” That’s our topic for this patient education article. We will talk about a few potential causes of this type of back pain, and what you can do about it. Exploding Back Pain First off, let’s define what we mean by “Fireworks
Many people don’t realize is that numbness or loss of feeling in your legs, feet, and toes may actually originate with an issue in the spine. How? That’s what we’ll be investigating in this patient education article. Spinal Nerves The spine is filled with nerves that send sensory signals to and from the brain throughout the body. When you lift your big toe, your body is sending a signal from
Many people experience low back pain at some time in their lives. Lumbar spinal stenosis is characterized by persistent episodes of back pain and a declining loss of mobility. It’s common in older adults who often opt for spinal fusion surgery. But is spinal fusion really the answer? Below are some important facts to consider before undergoing spinal fusion surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis. Always seek out a second opinion
Written by Laura Dyrda – www.beckersspine.com A study presented at the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery 2016 Annual Forum examined the economic impact of oblique lateral lumbar interbody fusions on hospital efficiency. The study authors examined 69 patients who underwent OLLIF and compared data to 55 patients who underwent open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusions performed by the same surgeon. OLLIF requires a single 10 to 15 mm incision and the
Cervical cord compression occurs when certain conditions and disorders result in compression of the spinal cord where it runs through the spinal bones of the neck (cervical vertebrae). The causes of cervical cord compression include herniations of the disks between the cervical vertebrae, arthritis of the joints in this area resulting in narrowing of the space where the spinal cord runs through, tumors in the spinal column, or fractures of
Thoracic or mid-level back pain isn’t as common a problem as lower back pain is in the general population. It’s not only a costly medical issue but it can be a debilitating problem that restricts the normal daily activities of those who are affected. While certain conditions causing mid-level back pain need to be managed with procedures such as spinal fusions made through large surgical openings made via a thoracotomy
Facet joint pain occurs as a result of overuse of the facet joints due to age, injury or arthritis and then result in severe chronic back pain. Facet joint pain is felt in the back all along the spine and may be hard to diagnose in many cases. It is one of the most common causes of neck pain, back pain and thoracic facet joint pain. Conventional treatments for the condition include
Everything you need to know is right in the name. Osteo- is the medical word (prefix in this case) which refers to the bone. Myel refers to the spinal cord or anything to do with the spine whilst it is commonly referred to inflammation (for instance bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi). If we put this together we get BONE spine inflammation of inflammation of the boney part of the
Numbness in One Leg Numbness in one leg can be caused by several issues affecting just the one side of the lower back and may include the following: Sitting or standing in the same position for an extended period of time. Pressure applied to the nerves coming out of the lower back spinal bones (lumbar vertebrae) or to the spinal cord by a bulging or herniated disc as the tissue
