Back Pain

Eccentric disk bulging is one of several major symptoms of degenerative spine disease. A herniation of the disk, bulging is the least severe occurrence of disk distortion.

Back spasms, while not usually medically significant, can be debilitating. Though there are powerful muscles in the back, they can be strained by overuse or by a sudden or awkward movement. There...

Many spinal fusion patients are hesitant to exercise following their surgery because they fear doing further damage to their spine, but exercise is a vitally important part of the healing process....

Back braces are an important part of physical labor or physical rehabilitation. They help support the back and avoid injuries that come from chronic lifting. They also help support a back that is...

Spondylolisthesis is a condition of the spine, usually occurring in the lower lumbar area, in which a vertebra slips forward onto the bone beneath it. It often occurs as a birth defect or in early...

Thoracic spine disc disease is a rare condition that affects the intervertebral discs of the thoracic spine. According to the Neurology Channel, this condition is characterized by damage or...

It can be difficult to get an accurate diagnosis for the cause of back pain. There are some diagnostic tests available that can help doctors to make the correct diagnosis and treatment.

The thoracic spine is the middle section of the spinal anatomy located between the cervical and lumbar vertebrae. It consists of bony vertebral discs alternating with softer cartilage discs that...

Structural abnormalities of the feet can cause abnormal foot motion, affecting the ankles, knees, hips and lower back. Joints become overstressed and cartilage wears out more quickly. Over time,...

If you are experiencing extreme buttock and leg pain, you may have piriformis syndrome. The piriformis muscle is a small muscle located in the lower part of the spine and buttock that turns your...

The sciatic nerve runs from the spinal chord, through the gluteus maximus (buttock) and down the back of each leg. The piriformis is a muscle that forms part of the buttock. It connects the femur...

The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body, running from the spine into the buttock and down the back of the legs on both sides. Sciatic pain is usually caused by another underlying...

A muscle spasm is when a muscle contracts involuntarily. It could be in response to injury, fatigue or stress. The lower back has a tremendous amount of pressure on it so it is more prone to...

Doctors no longer regard back pain as a catch-all phrase for everything from passing numbness in the legs to radiating symptoms that confine you to bed rest for weeks. And they no longer treat all...

The arabesque, a famous ballet pose that provides the basis for many others, is also a useful back stretch that can help increase the flexibility of the lower and upper back, hips, thighs and...

Do you suffer from daily back pain? You're not alone. The National Institute of Biological Disorders and Stroke reports that U.S. residents spend $50 billion each year to treat lower back pain....

The sciatic nerve is a collection of nerve roots that exit the spine in the lower back and form the large nerve that supplies the back of the leg. Irritation of the sciatic nerve can lead to...

Strains are the most common cause of back pain, and are often caused by overuse or overloading the back muscles. Poor lifting techniques or falling down unexpectedly can pull back muscles. When...

Damaged discs can have several causes. The condition, including the pain associated with it, can keep getting worse if it is not given proper time and treatment to heal. Natural, holistic...

The middle spine is made up of 12 vertebrae that connect the ribs and form the back wall of the ribcage area. This part of the spine is limited in the amount of movement it can make, and it is not...

Your lumbar spine--the low back region--is made up of five vertebrae. They are the largest and the most susceptible to injury. If you have degeneration, it means the discs and cartilage between...

Spine curvature can refer to two distinct conditions. There is the normal curve of the human spine, but more commonly spinal curvature refers to abnormalities from the standard curve of the spine....

Tumors in the colon don't have to be cancerous to be dangerous and cause lower back pain. Cancerous tumors, however, may cause back pain for a different reason than non-cancerous colon tumors....

Damaged discs are very common and can be very painful. Bulging discs can lead to deterioration or a hernia if proper care is not taken. Although this may sound scary, these conditions can be...

Sciatica, or sciatic nerve pain, occurs when the sciatic nerve is pinched or irritated. It is characterized by a sharp pain running down the back of the leg, and sometimes tingling or pressure...

A bulging disc occurs when there is a problem with the shock-absorbing discs located between each vertebra, causing them to bulge out from their normally aligned position. This leads to discomfort...

According to the Mayo Clinic, back pain is one of the most prevalent reasons people miss work or visit the doctor. Conservative measures that do not involve drugs or surgery can be very effective...

Lower back pain can be debilitating to anyone, even those physically fit. Injury, poor stretching or overexertion can all cause mild to severe back pain. Doing some daily exercises and stretches...

Disc degeneration is inevitable as you age, but this does not mean you will have back pain, get progressively worse, or be stuck with incurable symptoms. This "disease" is actually a condition...

Back pain can come from numerous sources. A pulled muscle or pinched nerve can lead to discomfort and sometimes debilitating pain. Diseases and infections such as appendicitis, pancreatitis or...

Sciatica pain can be caused when the sciatic nerve, which exits the lower spine, is irritated. Sciatic pain is felt through the lower back and down the leg. Exercise is helpful in providing...

Spinal disks are pads that cushion the individual bones of the spine. A herniated disk develops when the soft inner layer of a spinal disk pushes through a tear in the outer layer of the disk.

Zero gravity chairs do not, of course, reduce the pull of gravity on the body. However, their name is derived from the chairs astronauts often use when leaving the atmosphere. The force it takes...

Many people suffer lower-back pain. Strengthening exercises as well as stretching may help to reduce or alleviate lower-back pain. A lower-back strengthening routine that includes low-impact...

Shingles can be a painful and debilitating condition that is often difficult to treat. There are medications that may help to shorten the duration of shingles and help to reduce pain.

The sciatic nerve is responsible for communicating what the legs are feeling and how they move. Sciatic pain can be very sharp and may seem scary, but it actually can be alleviated relatively...

Lumbar fusion is a technique used to combine two or more vertebrae to help reduce pain from irregularly placed vertebrae. Spinal fusion can cause weakening of the back muscles and stiffness if a...

The spine is made up of 26 irregularly shaped bones stacked on top of each other with cartilaginous discs between the bones. The discs are made up of a fibrous outer layer with a soft, gel-like...

Lower back and leg pain can be caused by various factors. If you are suffering with this type of pain, it is important to try and find the cause. It is most likely not a serious condition, but...

Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal associated with aging and degenerative changes in the back. This narrowing of the spinal canal can cause pressure on the spinal cord or the...

A thoracic disc bulge---also called a thoracic herniated disc---occurs in the mid to upper region of the back when the jelly-like substance within a disc begins to protrude from the layers of...

TENS stands for trancutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. A TENS machine relieves back pain through electrical pulses delivered to the body. The devices are used in medical facilities by...

You may be experiencing pain in your lower back. You may have had a strain, an injury, illness, even simple stress. You may have seen a doctor who diagnosed your problem. If you are fortunate,...

There are many causes of back pain. The main causes include slipped discs and nerve damage (see Reference 1). Whatever the cause, back pain, whether mild or severe, can be a major hindrance in...

Vertebral hemangiomas are abnormalities of the blood vessels around the spine that typically cause lesions around one or two vertebrae. Usually, they don't cause any symptoms, but when they do,...

Chronic back pain caused by sciatica is frequently linked to depression. The debilitating effect of limitations to movement can have a profound effect on the psyche. Unfortunately, the apathy that...

Fibromyalgia is a disorder that affects your muscles and joints, causing you to experience pain in areas of the body called tender points. There is no known cause for fibromyalgia, and the...

Developing and maintaining good posture is the gift that keeps on giving, preventing back pain (i.e. trips to the doctor and chiropractor) and other sicknesses. It will also potentially save you...

Herniated discs and bulging discs are two problems that affect the back. They cause pain that can range from mild to severe. The herniated disc is the more severe of the two, but they both can...

Many people suffer from neck and back pain. There are a wide variety of over-the-counter medications that may be used in the treatment of neck and back pain.