Common Spine Conditions
The spine is a set of bones known as the vertebrae that support your back and allow you to stand upright. It supports your entire upper body and is also the passage for the spinal cord that connects the brain to the rest of the body. However, the spine is susceptible to injuries and other degenerative disorders involving the bones and a number of conditions involving the spine can affect your health.
Here we have a few of them explained:
1. Slipped Disc
This is a very common condition associated with aging. The cushion-like structures that prevent the vertebrae from rubbing against each other get worn out over time. The fluid that is enclosed in the disc starts to perish making the discs fragile and prone to breakage. It is also known as a herniated disc and the treatment involves spinal injections, medications, d physical therapy and in severe cases surgery.
2. Cervical Spondylosis
This is also another condition related to age which results due to deterioration of tissue in the neck region. Your neck can feel stiff and mobility gets restricted. This is because the ligaments connecting the spine lose their flexibility over time. This condition should be treated timely as overuse or forced movements can even lead to permanent damage to the neck.
3. Osteoarthritis
This is a result of the wearing down of the cartilage tissue that helps the back in moving. They are responsible for preventing friction and due to damage over time, they fail in doing so. The vertebrae get rubbed against each other and can result in pain and stiffness.
4. Spinal Stenosis
This condition is a result of the inflammation of the nerves that are branching out from spinal cord. The passage of the spinal cord and the nerves radiating from it can get narrow. Osteoarthritis is the main condition to cause this stenosis. People with smaller body frames are more susceptible to this condition and the symptoms are tingling, numbness, and pain in the body.
5. Sciatica
This is a painful condition involving the sciatic nerve that radiates from the back to your lower body. When this nerve becomes inflamed it can result in shooting pain starting from the back and through the buttocks, reaches your legs. The condition affects only one side at a time and the treatment available is anti-inflammatory drugs, steroidal injections, and heat and cold therapy. Physical therapy is also very helpful in restoring mobility and reducing pain.
6. Scoliosis
This disease affects children who are yet to become adolescents and results in a sideways bending of the spine. The children affected with this disease have unequal shoulders and a bend towards one side. This deformity of the spine can lead to other complications and therefore treatment is very necessary. Wearing a brace can help in preventing the progression of this disease.
7. Kyphosis
In this condition, the spine bends forward and is a result of damage to the vertebrae or defective development of the spine in early childhood. Due to a bent posture, it can be really difficult for the spine to distribute the body weight correctly and can result in pain, fatigue, and many other complications. The extent of damage is determined by how curved the spine is and treatment is designed accordingly.
8. Ankylosing Spondylitis
The very first symptoms that you will experience from this condition are soreness and stiffness of the lower back as you wake up in the morning. The pain and stiffness then spread to the hips and upper back, and then eventually other parts of the entire body. You can even get a hunch on your back and the condition is more common in men than in women.
