Lower Back Pain
Sciatica in the Back
Sciatica is a specific group of symptoms that are indicative of irritation to or inflammation of the sciatic nerve. This nerve is located in the lumbar spine and is responsible for transmitting signals through the lower back into the buttocks, backs of the legs, and soles of the feet. The symptoms caused by the irritation vary in intensity, and not everyone experiences all of them or the same combination. They may become more severe when the person coughs or sneezes, or when they are sitting or standing for a long period of time.
Sciatica Treatment
Due to the fact that sciatica - a collection of symptoms caused by compression of the sciatic nerve - can be caused by a number of conditions, there is no “standard” sciatica treatment, and each person must obtain his or hers individually from a doctor. However, there are a number of conservative treatments that are frequently included in these individualized treatment regimens, and these include:
Sciatica Diagnosis
Obtaining an accurate sciatica diagnosis usually begins with a physical examination and review of your medical history by your doctor. After asking you to describe your symptoms as far as type, severity, and duration, the doctor may perform some minor tests to eliminate the possibility that your nervous system itself is not working correctly. Once finished with the physical examination portion of your sciatica diagnosis, the doctor will likely move on to more intensive tests such as an MRI or a CT scan to confirm his or her initial findings.
Sciatica Symptoms
Sciatica symptoms are the result of irritation or inflammation of the sciatic nerve, which runs out of the lumbar spine and into the buttocks, legs, and bottoms of the feet. These symptoms can vary slightly in the exact combination and intensity for each person, and they may get worse when the person coughs, laughs, sneezes, or sits or stands for long periods of time.
Sciatica
Sciatica is a term used to describe a set of symptoms that are the result of an inflamed or irritated sciatic nerve. This peripheral nerve stems from the lumbar spine and is responsible for transmitting signals to the lower back, buttocks, backs of the thighs, calves, and the bottoms of the feet.
Lumbar Back Pain Causes
The lumbar region, or lower back, is integral to daily movements like twisting and turning, lifting, bending, and more. It’s no wonder then that this area also experiences more wear and tear than other parts of the back, often leading to pain and soreness. Lumbar back pain causes are varied, but most cases result from muscle strain, which usually heals on its own with time.
Free Yourself from Lumbar Back Pain Symptoms
If you’ve been experiencing lumbar back pain symptoms, then you’re doubtless searching for a way to free yourself from the daily suffering. You may have tried conservative treatments like hot/cold compresses, painkillers, muscle relaxers, physical therapy, cortisol injections, and more, but the pain keeps coming back, and it’s hurting the quality of your life. If this sounds like your situation, and your doctor has told you that surgery is your only option for finally getting rid of your symptoms, then Laser Spine Institute wants you to know that traditional surgery is not your only option.
Lumbar Back Pain
There are a variety of conditions that can cause lumbar back pain, which can be debilitating for many people. Thankfully, some spinal conditions like bulging or herniated discs clear up on their own with time. For those that don’t, there are a number of techniques available to treat the symptoms and manage the pain without resorting to invasive surgery.
Lower Back Pain Help from Laser Spine Institute
Any given day, countless people are looking for lower back pain help. That’s because the portion of the spine in the lower back, also known as the lumbar region, is particularly susceptible to injury and wear and tear. It supports more weight than the cervical portion of the spine in the neck, and doesn’t have the added support of the rib cage that the thoracic spine does. As a result, the bending and twisting we do from the lower back—sometimes incorrectly—can easily result in stress and strain on the spine. Fortunately, the discomfort that develops is often temporary and self healing. Other times it requires some intervention in the form of stretching and exercises, behavioral modification, or light medications. For a small minority of lower back pain sufferers, surgery is required. That’s where Laser Spine Institute (LSI) comes in.
Lower Back Pain Surgery at Laser Spine Institute
If you are discussing lower back pain surgery with your doctor, chances are you’re in severe pain and have been for quite some time. Surgery is generally a last resort for back pain relief. It is only considered when more conservative treatments don’t work. Generally, only a small percentage of back pain sufferers need surgery. If you’ve found yourself in this minority, you’ll want to consider treatment at Laser Spine Institute (LSI). We use endoscopic measures that minimize the trauma caused during back surgery. That means there is less of a chance for complications like infection and that your recovery will likely be quicker than if you underwent a traditional surgery that employed larger cuts. Also, because our procedures are so minimally invasive, we can perform them on an outpatient basis. That means you can recover in the comfort of your own home or a nearby hotel room.
Lower Back Pain Symptoms May Be Treated at Laser Spine Institute
Lower back pain symptoms are commonly experienced by most people at some point in their lives. That’s because the lower back bears much of the body’s weight and is also the site of much of the body’s bending and twisting. Those factors lead to injury and wear and tear more quickly in the lumbar region than in other areas of the spine. The result can be symptoms that include numbness, tingling, burning, swelling and stiffness. Fortunately, for many sufferers, after a few days or weeks the body heals the cause of the pain and the symptoms disappear. For some, however, the lower back pain continues.
Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease Causes and Treatments
Lumbar degenerative disc disease is the deterioration of the intervertebral discs in the lower back. With this condition, the discs lose their flexibility, breaking apart and leaving the spine’s vertebrae to grind against each other.
Lumbar Facet Disease Symptoms and Potential Treatments
Lumbar facet disease is a condition that causes the breakdown of the facet joints in the lower back. The facet joints link the spine’s vertebrae to one another and allow for flexing, twisting and bending. As facet disease advances, the cartilage that allows the joints to slide smoothly into different positions wears away and the bones grind against each other as the spine moves. In severe cases, the facet bone can also deteriorate. The results of facet cartilage and bone deterioration are painful symptoms, including irritation, swelling, stiffness, reduced range of motion and muscle spasms. On occasion, a patient with lumbar facet disease will also feel these symptoms in the backs of their legs and buttocks.
Lumbar Ruptured Disc
A lumbar ruptured disc is a condition in which one of the lower spine's vertebrae, L1-L5, tears or herniates, allowing the soft interior layer of the disc to leak out into the surrounding area. This tear can be caused by a single traumatic event to lifelong wear and tear. It can also be the result of a combination of issues.
Lumbar Stenosis Alternative Treatments
Lumbar stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal anywhere in the lower back. This narrowing can occur for a variety of reasons. Swollen ligaments or a bulging disc can cause it, as can bone spurs, scar tissue and other abnormalities. In any of these scenarios, the reduced space in the spinal canal can lead to crowding of the spinal cord or nerve roots. If the pressure is great and the spinal cord or nerves are pinched, the result can be pain and irritation. In the worst case scenario, the lumbar stenosis advances far enough that extreme weakness or even paralysis of the legs occurs. Fortunately, most stenosis patients experience only mild to moderate discomfort. Of course, they often still want to treat their symptoms. Many have luck with simple techniques like stretching, exercises, and non-prescription medications.
Lower Back Bulging Disc Causes
A lower back bulging disc occurs when the wall of an intervertebral disc weakens and the gel-like nucleus presses on the weak spot, creating an extrusion into the spinal canal. Oftentimes, this bulge is never detected. However, if the bulge presses on a nerve root, symptoms can develop. Those symptoms can include pain, weakness and numbness. The underlying cause is nerve compression from displaced disc material, but what exactly causes that? The answer is that there are a range of issues that can lead to this condition.
A Pinched Nerve in the Lower Back May Be Treated at Laser Spine Institute
A pinched nerve in your lower back can be immensely painful. The symptoms include tingling, burning and numbness not only at the area where a nerve is actually compressed, but also in the region where that nerve travels. For instance, impinged nerves in the lower back can result in pain in the feet, legs or buttocks. What’s worse, if there is a lot of neural tissue compression and it isn’t treated, it could result in permanent nerve damage, pain, and reduced range of motion. Thankfully, most pinched nerves resolve on their own with time, and the majority of those needing treatment are soothed with simple, conservative techniques.
Lower Back Arthritis Can Sometimes Be Treated With Minimally Invasive Procedures
Lower back arthritis is the deterioration of cartilage in the vertebrae that is caused by aging, injury, genetics, or overuse of the joints. It is the most common of all types of spinal arthritis because the lower back bears more weight and facilitates more movement than the thoracic or cervical portions of the spine. The symptoms of this condition, also known as lumbar arthritis, include pain, swelling, and reduced range of motion. These occur because the lack of cartilage on the vertebrae leads to bone-on-bone rubbing and irritation. Depending on the severity of a patient’s lower back arthritis, these symptoms can range from mildly irritating to debilitating. These symptoms can often be effectively managed with minimally invasive endoscopic procedures, but before those are considered, non-invasive methods are usually tried.
Sciatic Nerve Pain Can Often Be Relieved With Surgery at the Laser Spine Institute
When you’re living with sciatic nerve pain, even the simplest actions can seem like an excruciating chore. That’s because you could be suffering with sharp burning pains that run down the back of your legs to the soles of your feet. Even when it’s dull, it makes something simple like walking the dog or driving painful and unpleasant.
Liberation from Sciatic Nerve Pain Is Possible with LSI’s 5-Day Process
When sciatic nerve pain strikes, you obviously want to be liberated from your misery as soon as possible. At first, your doctor may suggest medication, injections, rest, and physical therapy, but if those prove futile for your sciatic nerve pain, you may be told that surgery is the next step. Traditional open-back surgery, however, is not a fast solution; on the contrary, invasive surgery involves a hospital stay, long recovery times, increased risk of infection, and other potential complications.
Find Relief from Sciatic Nerve Pain at Laser Spine Institute
Sciatic nerve pain can be an agonizing condition. When a bulging disc or bone spur is pressing upon your sciatic nerve, you often can’t find a comfortable way to stand or sit. You may find yourself constantly shifting positions in your chair, or you may be frequently stopped in your tracks by a sharp, shooting pain that goes from your back, through your legs, all the way down to your feet.
Sciatic Nerve Pain Can Be Relieved with Laser Surgery at LSI
As the name suggests, sciatic nerve pain occurs when your sciatic nerve becomes irritated. As the longest nerve in your body, the sciatic nerve runs from your spinal cord to your pelvic area and down the back of your legs. Sciatic nerve pain is not a spinal condition, per se, but instead is caused when a herniated disc or bone spur presses on the nerve.
Massage Therapy
Massage involves applying pressure and manipulating the body through structured, unstructured, tensions, motions, and vibrations that can either be done manually or with the assistance of a mechanical device.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is a specific form of health care that provides an individual with services to help them develop and maintain movement or functionality in life. A physical therapist provides the services to individuals that may be affected by aging, disease or injury.
Lower Back Pain Treatment
Most Lower back pain will not require surgery and when surgery is recommended it is almost always elective. Most lower back treatments involve reduction of the inflammation, restoring proper function and strength to the back which helps to prevent a recurrence of the injury.
Lower Back Pain Exercises
This is a static exercise where the gluteus maximus must work to support the back. Proper technique is essential if the correct stability mechanisms are to be improved.
Lower Back Pain Conditions
A much more serious complication of a ruptured disc is cauda equina syndrome, which occurs when disc material is pushed into the spinal canal and compresses the bundle of lumbar and sacral nerve roots.
Lower Back Pain Cause
Muscle elasticity, tone, and bone strength tend to weaken as we age. The discs in your back begin to lose fluid and flexibility decreasing their ability to act as shock absorbers on the vertebrae. This is a common cause of lower back pain.
Lower Back Pain
If we are going to understand lower back pain, then we are going to need to take a closer look at the back in general. The back can be thought of as the body’s trunk. Spanning from the neck to the pelvis the back is made up of a structure of bones, muscle, and other tissues.