One of the essential parts of the human body is the spine, which consists of 26 bones called vertebrae. These vertebrae work together to provide:
- Stability that allows you to stand and keep yourself upright.
- Flexibility to move about freely and to bend
- Protection and support the spinal cord and nerves.
When damage occurs to the vertebrae in the spine, it could lead to pain and limitations in mobility. In these cases, the adverse effects are likely due to some spinal disorder.
Common Spine Disorders
Various spinal disorders can affect your spine, each with its causes and treatments.
Degenerative Disc Disease
Degenerative disc disease is an age-related, naturally occurring condition. As you get older, the discs that compose your spine start to deteriorate or break down, leading to degenerative disc disease.
Causes: As mentioned above, the leading cause of degenerative disc disease is wear and tear as we age. But it’s vital to note that this disease can be accelerated by injury, health and lifestyle factors, and the genetic predisposition to musculoskeletal disorders.
Treatments: Since this is a naturally occurring disease, the best treatment can be different pain management methods like spinal decompression, pain medication, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators (TENS), and cold and heat therapy.
Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis is a condition in which your spine becomes narrow and can happen in your neck (known as cervical spinal stenosis), the middle of your spine (known as thoracic stenosis), or the lower spine (known as lumbar stenosis). This condition will put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves leading to pain and discomfort.
Causes: Spinal stenosis can result from certain diseases like osteoarthritis, scoliosis, and synovial cysts. Injuries can also lead to developing this condition when they directly impact the spine and lead to the dislocation of the bones.
Treatments: You can find many non-surgical treatment options with your chiropractor, like spine manipulation, which allows dangerous inflammation to subside, relieving painful tension. When the cases are too severe, then surgery would be the next treatment option.
Spinal Deformities
Many deformities can affect the spine, and some of the conditions that fall under this category include:
- Scoliosis. An abnormal side-to-side curvature diagnoses this condition in your spine when it looks like an S or a C.
- Kyphosis. This condition is diagnosed by a front-to-back spine curvature that leads to a hunchback or slouching posture.
Causes: The causes of spinal deformities will depend on each condition. Some tests and procedures used to evaluate and diagnose these conditions are bone scans, CT scans, and MRIs.
Treatments: While treatments will also depend on the condition, spinal deformities, in general, are treated with anti-inflammatory drugs, cortisone injections, physical therapy, and surgery.
Spine Health & Wellness Can Help
Spine Health & Wellness’ chiropractic team is dedicated to providing you with comprehensive and conservative treatments to benefit your overall health and well-being. No matter the condition that may be affecting you, we will strive to diagnose and provide the best course of treatment.
Don’t let pain and discomfort take over your life, so request an appointment today and get back to enjoying your life.