Lumbago is a general term used to describe pain in the lower back. It affects millions of Americans per year and can be caused by abnormalities in the spine, joints, muscles, or nerves of the lower back. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, lumbago affects 80% of adults (typically job-related) and can be acute or chronic causing either a dull, aching pain or sudden, sharp pain.
A "pinched nerve" means something is putting pressure on a nerve. Any number of things may be the culprit, including repetitive motions in sports or at work, poor posture, excess weight, a ruptured disc, bone spurs or arthritis in the neck.
If you have a pinched nerve in the neck, you’re likely to feel symptoms in the neck, elbow, hands, wrists, or fingers. Symptoms may include:
So how can you relieve those symptoms? A number of strategies, some of which can be done at home, may help:
Could the wrong shoes be causing a backache? Maybe. Experts say back pain can have many causes, some originating in the spine itself. But other cases of back pain may result from problems in the feet, knees, or hips.
Back pain is common. About 80 percent of us are going to suffer from it at some point. Tracking down the source of the problem is a key to getting relief.
When feet are the problem
If you have low arches, or “flat feet,” your feet will turn inward when you walk or run. This is called hyper-pronation and can cause your leg to turn inward as well, affecting the alignment of your body all the way up to your back.
Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes widespread chronic muscle pain and tenderness. This condition is often accompanied by other debilitating symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, memory problems and mood swings. Although there is no cure, fibromyalgia is medically manageable through a combination of pain medications, behavioral health therapies, interventional pain treatments and more. Before treatment can be sought, however, physicians must be able to determine whether or not fibromyalgia is to blame for pain symptoms patients are experiencing.
Patients who experience sore or spasming muscles may wonder if their symptoms indicate a particular condition, disease, or ailment. For individuals with sore muscles, the first thing to ask is how the symptom developed in the first place. Sore muscles caused by an intense workout or a day spent moving or landscaping are not necessarily things to worry about. Overuse or injury during physical activity, stress, or tension can cause muscles to ache, and over time these symptoms should subside on their own.
Now that summer is officially upon us, it’s imperative patients at Southwest Spine and Pain Center prepare themselves for this season’s high temperatures. Why? Simple. People exposed to extreme heat are increasingly susceptible to heat-related health problems such as sunburn, dehydration, muscle cramps, heat rash, and heat stroke. These ailments can exacerbate your pain or cause new pain symptoms to arise. If you plan to be outside for long periods of time, consider the following:
When performed by licensed chiropractic physicians, chiropractic care can be incredibly beneficial in reducing different types of back, neck, or joint pain. However, like any surgical procedure, therapy, or treatment, spinal manipulation can have serious health risks if performed incorrectly or if administered by a chiropractic physician who’s unfamiliar with non-rotational methods of manipulation. If you’re considering chiropractic care for after an interventional pain treatment or minimally invasive spine surgery, take note of the following points.
Occasional muscle spasms are normal, but here’s how to tell if your muscle spasms may be something more.
Most people have experienced a muscle spasm at one time or another in their lives. Have you ever noticed that sometimes, as you’re trying to go to sleep and just about to drift off, your entire body will suddenly twitch uncontrollably? Well, that unexpected wake-up call is actually a muscle spasm.
Muscle spasms can occur as a result of a lot of different things, from being tired to stress to certain medical conditions. In many cases, occasional muscle spasms are nothing to be concerned about, but read on for more information about when your muscle spasms might warrant a check-up with your doctor.
Sciatica can be a painful condition and interfere with exercise—here’s what you need to know.
You’ve probably heard people talk about having sciatica, and that’s for good reason—many people experience a form of pain related to the sciatic nerve at some point in their lives.
That’s because the sciatic nerve is actually the largest nerve in the entire body, extending from your lower back all the way down through the muscles and joints of your hips, glutes, legs, and feet. Because it affects so many structures in your body, it can be relatively easy for it to become injured or irritated, leading to pain, numbness, or weakness, in your back, buttocks, or legs.
What Causes Sciatica?