Back Pain

Spinal decompression is a nonsurgical approach to alleviating pressure on compressed disks. This is achieved by stretching the spine either by using mechanical traction techniques or by a...

Located between the vertebrae, spinal disks absorb shock for the spine, allowing flexibility of movement. However, over time or through injury, these disks can become worn. A bulging disk occurs...

A myelogram is a detailed image of the spine that is produced by sticking a needle in the spinal canal and inserting contrast material or dye. The dye provides a better view of the spine as a...

Scoliosis is a condition in which the spine curves from side to side instead of remaining aligned from top to bottom. There are various degrees of scoliosis, and each degree determines the course...

A disc is a small, jelly-filled sac that sits between each of the vertebrae in your back and neck. Most people who suffer from back or neck pain have a herniated disc. A herniation occurs when the...

Spinal degenerative joint disease is most often the result of wear and tear on the joints that make up the spine. According to Spine Universe, age is the predominant cause of spinal degenerative...

Cervical spine surgery is generally considered a last resort if you have neck pain, numbness, tingling, weakness or instability that is not effectively treated by other methods. According to the...

An injury to the lower back during work at home can last. Either the lower back muscles sprain or spasm, or a ligament strains. Short-term pain that limits movement and body positions lasts until...

According to the Mayo Clinic staff, back pain will affect four out of five Americans at some point in their lifetimes. Many people elect to have non-evasive treatments including epidural steroid...

Chronic lower back pain lasts three months or longer and often becomes worse over time, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Although the condition is more...

Spinal stenosis is a narrowing in the lower or upper areas of your spine. The narrowing puts pressure on the spine and surrounding nerves, resulting in pain and numbness to the legs, arms, back...

Scoliosis is simply an abnormal curving of the spine. It reveals itself in uneven shoulders or shoulder blades, one hip being higher than the other, or a slight lean to one side. In some cases, it...

According to Cleveland Clinic, facet joint pain, also called facet joint syndrome, involves intervertebral joints of the spine. Facet joint pain develops after 50, but it can develop earlier in life.

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.

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....

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

Spondylolisthesis is when one vertebra slips forward of the vertebra below. Spondylolisthesis occurs most often in the lumbar spine (lower back), and cervical (neck) spondylolisthesis is rare.

Spinal stenosis describes the narrowing of the spinal canal and additional pressure placed on the spinal cord. Stenosis can occur anywhere on the spine, but most often affects the lower or the...

Spinal disc pain is most often caused by a herniated spinal disc, a so-called "slipped disc." In this condition, a part of the spine has broken through the liner that usually holds it in place....

Whether it's at work, the mall or the gym, people take notice of a man standing tall and confidently more than they notice a man who slouches and cowers. Good posture goes a long way for your...

Spinal stenosis is one of the most common causes of back pain, according to Integrative Health Care. This condition causes the vertebral canal to narrow and press on the spinal cord. This causes...

Back pain is a common complaint of people in the United States, particularly in work environments where bending, twisting, and lifting is required. Often back pain is caused by strain on muscles...

Most Americans have dealt with some kind of back pain at one time or another. In fact, according to Medline Plus, roughly 8 out of 10 people will experience back pain at some point in the future....

Spinal fusion surgery is a treatment for many disorders of the spine. It is a way to fix the vertebrae, limiting the movement and thus further damage. Spinal fusion surgery is performed to treat...

Spinal decompression is an Federal Drug Administration-approved therapy for pain caused by a bulging or herniated disc. Spinal decompression is used to relieve pain in the back, legs, neck and...

Back pain is an unfortunate but all too common fact of life for many people. The causes of back pain are numerous, but one typical cause is compression of the spinal column. Poor posture,...

You've probably heard it from your parents or your teachers: Stand up straight and sit properly or you'll hurt your spine. Well, they were right--in part. A supportive posture, sitting erect or...

The spinal column is made up of irregularly-shaped bones with disks in between. The disks are made up of cartilage with a gel-like center. They act as cushioning and provide shock absorption for...

Inversion tables are devices that are designed to stretch out the spine and relieve back pain by suspending a user by the feet and using gravity to stretch out their spine.

A disc separates each vertebrae as a method of shock absorption. They are like little cushions with a gel-like material covered with a tough outer layer. A herniated disc occurs when a tear in the...

Lumbar facet fusion is a common diagnosis for patients with back pain. However, many people with this diagnosis are unclear about the location and implications of this particular set of spinal...

Spinal stenosis is a narrowing at the base of the spine that exerts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. The condition is considered congenital when you are born with the factors that...

Whether you have just seen your chiropractor for an adjustment or something more serious, like a session on a traction table or decompression table, here are some tips to relieve you of any pain...

Back spasms are involuntary contractions in the muscles in the back that cause pain which can be quite severe in some cases. Back spasms are a common ailment among athletes who employ a lot of...

Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine that is abnormal. This curvature can range from a slight deviation to a severe curvature with the spine parallel to the floor. Common symptoms include uneven...

Once a patient is diagnosed with a bulging or herniated thoracic disc in the spine, physical therapy can help maintain strength and range of motion within the affected vertebrae. But the patient...

The lower vertebra of the human spine can slip from beneath the rest of the spine resulting in an often-painful condition called spondylolisthesis. Back pain can indicate a serious problem and...

Spine balls are a great tool to get the most out of your workout. They are known by various names such as an exercise ball, physio ball or Swiss ball. When you use a spine ball, you are improving...

Back pain after spinal surgery can be frustrating. After all, you had the surgery to eliminate pain. Unfortunately, pain after any surgery is inevitable, and pain after spine surgery -- even...

Chiropractors are highly-skilled doctors that aim to relieve pain, pressure and restricted movement of the spine. It is a profession that is far more than making cracks and pops in the patient's...

Between all of the vertebrae in your spine, there are intervertebral disks. These elastic pads of cartilage separate the bones from one another and allow the spine to bend and move. When these...

Spinal stenosis is a chronic pain condition involving narrowing of areas of the spine. It can occur in all parts of the spine, though it is most prevalent in the lumbar area of the lower spine....

The American Spinal Decompression Association says that there is a possible 70 percent chance that spinal decompression can benefit certain individuals suffering with chronic back and/or spinal...

The causes of lower back pain are usually related to the overuse and strain of muscles and their supporting structures, leading to imbalances in the spinal structure that make the back vulnerable...