Back Pain – Coventry – Back Pain, 22 3D animated videos are available to view at this Coventry Back Pain Clinic for Disc Degeneration and other back related spinal conditions, diseases, pains and injuries, which can be found listed under ” Pain Management,” “Orthopaedics” and “Complementary Medicine” in our Videos Library section. Also in this library there are a further 78 3D animated videos covering other conditions / complaints under the same headings. To view the Videos Library, please click in the top right hand corner.
A further 32 animated educational videos are available to view,these can be found listed under “Types of Pain” in there various ”Pain ” named sections
Disc Degeneration and Lower back Pain
What Is It?
Lower Back Pain
Eighty percent of people suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. Back pain is the second most common reason for visits to the doctors. In fact, it is estimated that low back pain affects more than half of the adult population each year and more than 15% of all people experience frequent bouts of low back pain.
Among the many causes of back pain, the most common by far is a sprain or strain of muscles, ligaments and joints. Muscle spasm can occur after twisting or bending awkwardly, or from a simple sneeze or cough. The majority of muscle spasms tend to get better over time. The inter-vertebral discs may also be commonly affected.
The susceptibility of the low back to injury and pain is due to the fact that the low back, like the neck, is an unstable part of the spine, unlike the thoracic spine, which is supported by the rib cage. This instability allows us to have a great deal of mobility to touch our toes, tie our shoes or pick something up from ground level, but at the cost of increased risk of injury.
The low back can withstand tremendous forces as long as it is healthy and functioning correctly. However, if the low back is out of alignment or has weakened supporting muscles, something as simple as putting a bag or suit case in and out of the boot of a car, picking something up off the floor, or simply bending down can cause a low back injury.
Studies have shown that when back pain is not treated, it may go away temporarily, and is very likely to return. The importance of taking low back pain seriously cannot be stressed enough.
Disc Degeneration
What Is It?
Disc Degeneration is a wear and tear process of the inter-vertebral discs. This may be just a case of increased wear and tear as we get older or excessive wear and tear earlier in life due to work or strenuous sports or lifestyle activities. Symptoms may include any of the following:
- Low Back pain
- Groin pain
- Buttock pain
- Thigh pain
- Calf/Shin pain
- Ankle/Foot pain
- Toe pain
Often, there may also be pins and needles, dullness, numbness, cold, heat, weakness associated with the pain.
How Does It Happen?
Disc problems are common causes of back pain. After an injury, or as we age, discs lose fluid content and deteriorate in a process called disc degeneration. The earliest form of disc injury is in the form of tears or fissures in the annulus fibrosis (outer portion) of the disc. The annulus fibrosis is very much is like a large round ligament that prevents the nucleus pulposus (inner gel-like portion) of the disc from protruding outward. Tears in the annulus heal by scar formation which weakens the disc further. The repetitive annular tears which heal by forming scar tissue lead to a disc that begins to degenerate.
As degeneration progresses the disc becomes stiff, narrow, and losses its ability to act as a shock absorber thus leading to increased stress being put on the bones of the spine causing formation of bone spurs or osteophytes. If bone spurs get large enough, they may cause pressure on nerves in the spinal canal which could present as numbness or weakness in the legs depending on the spinal level being affected. The combination of disc degeneration and bone spur formation in the spine is called spondylosis. Any narrowing within the spinal canal, from bone spur formation or from any other cause such as a prolapsed disc or thickening of the ligaments of the spine is called spinal stenosis. Spondylosis or spinal stenosis can occur at any region in the spine: cervical, thoracic, or lumbar.
What Should You Do?
It is strongly recommended you seek the assistance of a local health care professional, who can then carry out a thorough case history, examination and carry out treatment if appropriate. If the health care professional cannot help you, then they should tell you so and either arrange further tests if necessary (X-Rays, MRI/CT scans, ultrasound scans, blood tests, urine tests etc) or refer you onwards to another appropriately qualified professional.
What Shouldn’t You Do?
DO NOT IGNORE the problem! From time to time we all have neck or low back pain after sleeping awkwardly, which normally subsides within 2-3 days. Obviously in that scenario, no treatment is required. However, if the problem persists or gets any worse, then you should seek professional advice.
Long Term Effects
Don’t forget, disc degeneration is as it says on the tin “degeneration”, meaning it doesn’t happen overnight. Therefore, it is likely that you may get recurring symptoms and because of that some patients prefer to be seen from time to time almost like an MOT for your car. Obviously your body is a lot more complicated than your car, but many people tend to look after their cars much better than they look after themselves.
Diagnosis
Seek professional advice and start by getting a diagnosis and then discuss the options with your healthcare professional.
