Patient Info

Common Conditions

Back pain is one of the most commonly reported medical problems in society as well as the leading cause of job related disability.  It is estimated to affect 8 out of 10 people at some point in their lives.  Back pain can occur slowly over time due to changes as we age, or can occur suddenly from injury.  Back pain can be acute (short term) lasting a few days to a few weeks, or chronic (long term) persisting for more than 3 months.  

It is important to know back pain is a symptom not a medical diagnosis.  Some medical conditions that can cause back pain include:        

• Sprain, strain, or spasm to the back muscles or ligaments caused by heavy or improper lifting.  This is the most common cause of low back pain and will usually resolve completely in a few weeks.       
• Injury or trauma to the back such as in car accidents, sports injuries or falls.
• Degenerative Disc Disease: A condition caused by wear and tear on the discs between the vertebrae causing them to lose their cushioning ability.       
• Osteoporosis: Weak, porous bones caused by osteoporosis can lead to fractures of the spine.       
• Arthritis:  Degenerative changes from osteoarthritis and ankylosing Spondylitis are associated with back pain.       
• Herniated Discs:  A condition caused by a tear in a disc causing the disc contents to bulge outside of the disc.  Symptoms related to herniated discs in the lumbar region include sharp, continuous back pain, weakness in the legs, and some loss of sensation to the leg and foot.       
• Sciatica:  This condition involves irritation of the sciatic nerve, one of the large nerves to the legs and thighs, and is usually caused by a ruptured or herniated disc compressing the nerve.  Sciatica causes pain to the leg and buttock often accompanied by tingling and numbness.      
• Spondylitis:  Infection or inflammation of the spinal joints causing chronic back pain.       
• Spinal Stenosis:  Narrowing of the spinal canal as we age, most commonly due to degenerative arthritis.      
• Skeletal Conditions:  Spine curvatures such as in Scoliosis and Kyphosis      
• Cauda Equine Syndrome:  A very serious compression disorder of the spine.  The Cauda Equine is an area at the base of the spinal cord where the nerve roots of all spinal nerves are located.  Compression in this area can cause pain and loss of all nerve function below the site of compression and loss of bowel and bladder control.  This condition is a surgical emergency requiring immediate decompression of the spinal nerves.      
• Fibromyalgia:  A common condition characterized by chronic body wide pain with localized tender points in muscles, joints, and soft tissues.       
• Referred Pain:  Pain that occurs somewhere else in the body but is experienced in another location, such as in the back.  Examples include kidney and bladder infections, ovarian cancer, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, etc.       
• Psychological Factors:  Stress and depression have been associated with increased complaints of back pain.       
• Tumors:  Although spinal tumors are rare, cancer can spread from other parts of the body to the spine causing pain.