Chiropractic treatment offers non-invasive, drug-free treatment for spinal conditions that otherwise may require painful surgery or powerful pain medications. Herniated discs are one such condition that chiropractors specialize in treating. The...
A laminectomy removes the bony posterior arch of one or more vertebrae protecting the spinal cord; this decompresses the spinal cord and nerve roots by widening the space around the nerves, relieving symptoms and in some cases preventing...
Pinched spinal nerves may occur at any level in the spinal column, from the neck to the buttocks. The symptoms of a pinched spinal nerve vary depending on how much of the nerve is affected and where the pinched nerve is located. A pinched spinal...
According to the Family Doctor website, neck pain may be caused by injury, stress, faulty posture or other health problems, such as degenerative conditions, fibromyalgia or disk herniations. One of the most common symptoms reported by neck pain...
Intervertebral disks are the cushions that sit between the spinal vertebrae. They are designed to absorb impact, and to allow the spine to flex and bend. However, in some cases these disks may become dislodged and either bulge or rupture...
According to the Spine Universe website, sciatica is a mild to severe pain in the back of the leg that is caused by compression or impingement of lumbar-spine or lower-back nerve roots or the sciatic nerve itself. Sciatica-related pain in the...
According to the Spine Universe website, many Americans experience bouts of acute or chronic neck pain each year. Neck pain may be the result of strains, sprains, overuse injuries or blunt force trauma, and neck pain should not be left untreated....
The Mayo Clinic states that sciatica is pain that travels along the path of your sciatic nerve, from your lower back to your lower leg. Your sciatic nerve is the longest and thickest nerve in your body. There are over a dozen possible causes of...
Intervertebral disks act as cushions between the bones of the spine. When excessive forces are placed on a disk, it can become dislodged or herniated. Herniated disks often affect the surrounding nerves and may cause multiple neurological...
Intervertebral disks are tiny cushions made of tissue that sit between the spinal vertebrae. These disks are designed to absorb impact and to allow for mobility of the vertebrae, which is how a spine can bend and twist. Occasionally, however, one...
The human spine is subject to a variety of stresses that expose it to injury and degeneration. Your cervical spine, or neck, is particularly susceptible to wear and tear due to its relative frailty, the weight of the load it bears and the nearly...
Degenerative disk disease can produce pain and other functional deficits. The disease produces small defects in the outer wall of the intervertebral disk. When the disk is pressurized by the force of the vertebrae, these defects allow softer...
The spine is made up of bones called vertebrae and soft intervertebral disks that separate the bony vertebrae. A herniated disk is a condition that occurs when the disk ruptures or becomes out of place according to MedlinePlus. If the disk...
If you experience pain that radiates down one or both legs, a possible cause may be sciatic nerve impingement. This condition, commonly referred to as "sciatica," occurs when the sciatic nerve that runs from the lower back down the leg becomes...
Degenerative disc disease occurs in the intervertebral discs that lie between any two unfused vertebrae in the spine. Since the cervical vertebrae in the neck offer the greatest flexibility in the spine, a degenerated disc in the neck can cause...
With degenerative disc disease, a cervical disc loses its mechanical strength as a response to pathology. The disc then begins to herniate or protrude out of its intervertebral space. If the disc material protrudes far enough, it can press against...
A ruptured spine disc is one of many causes of lower back pain and disability. Ruptured discs may also be called "herniations," "protrusions" or "extrusions." Since this condition frequently necessitates back surgery, it is not uncommon for people...
Back pain and aches cause more visits to doctors or absences from school or work than any other illness, according to the Mayo Clinic. Acute back pain can last a few days or up to three months, but a chronic pain condition lasts three months or...
Nerves, also called peripheral nerves, may carry either motor or sensory information, notes the Spine Health website. Motor nerves run from your spine to your muscles and help you execute voluntary movements, while sensory nerves provide feedback...
General terms used to describe disk problems include herniated, ruptured, protruded, slipped, and prolapsed disk. However, they all mean the same thing and refer to a portion of the intervertebral disk which pushes itself onto the spinal cord or...
Common causes of spinal compression vary from slow processes to trauma. The results can vary widely, depending on how much the spinal cord or the spinal roots are involved. The symptoms can span from mild changes in sensitivity to excruciating...
A bulging, or herniated, disk is a relatively common source of lower back pain. If surgery is not warranted, physicians will send patients to physical therapy for management of their symptoms through exercise. You should not begin an exercise...
