Back Pain

Extending from the spinal cord, between the vertebrae, and joining together, the sciatic nerve is a collection of several nerve roots. Sciatica is a term to describe an irritation or pressure on the nerve roots, which is usually caused by bulging or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. The pressure or irritation on the nerve roots leads to symptoms that include sharp pain, burning, numbness, and tingling. Sciatica can, however, be caused by many things, so finding the right diagnosis is extremely important. A comprehensive spinal and neurologic exam, as well as diagnostic studies, will help establish the cause of your pain.

An abnormal condition of an intervertebral disc is referred to as a Herniated Disc; also known as a ruptured, slipped, or blown disc. It is not always known what causes the disc to herniated, but it's commonly believed to be caused from repetitive stress due to occupation, poor spinal posture, or natural processes of aging or trauma. Discs are located between each vertebra in the spine; discs provide flexibility and shock absorption for the spine. These discs can undergo tremendous amounts of stress, which can sometimes lead to a bulging - which is a weakening of the disc wall that causes the disc to bulge out and press painfully on surrounding nerves.

Degenerative discs form over time, producing irritation, low-grade inflammation, and can be a major cause of chronic lower back pain. Degeneration happens when the discs in the spine do not have a dedicated blood supply; the discs must rely on a process called diffusion to receive their supply of oxygen, nutrients and water. When the flow of these elements is disrupted, the vertebral discs can deteriorate. Degenerative discs become more vulnerable to injury from physical stress and every day activities which can play a contributing role to serious conditions such as osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis and disc herniation.

The narrowing of the canal, which your spinal nerves travel, is defined as Spinal Stenosis. There are typically two causes of spinal stenosis: Disc herniation and bone spurring. When a disc bulges or herniates the disc matter is squeezed into the spinal canal, narrowing the space for the spinal cord and occasionally impinging the spinal nerves. With the formation of bone spurs abnormal bone growth starts to develop within the spinal canal itself. As these spurs develop they start to decrease the diameter of the spinal canal and put pressure on the spinal cord or nerves.