(Including: Slipped Disc, Ruptured Disc and Torn Disc) Many patients who suffer with back and leg pain come to see our specialists needing treatment for herniated disc. Your spinal column is made up of bones (vertebrae) that are cushioned by small discs consisting of a tough outer layer (annulus) and a soft, jelly-like inner layer (nucleus). These discs act as shock absorbers, protecting the spine and nerves from the stress of everyday tasks as well as strenuous work such as heavy lifting.

When a disc herniates, a tear or weakness in the annulus allows the jelly-like nucleus to push out into the spinal canal. If it puts pressure on a spinal nerve, the herniated disc can cause pain, numbness or weakness in the back, legs or arms depending on where the disc is located. Herniated discs are most common in the lower spine, but about 10% occur in the neck.

A bulging disc is a condition occurring when a disc begins to extend beyond the normal margin in the spine. It happens when the disc shifts out of its normal radius and most often occurs simply as a result of age. In the majority of patients who have a bulging disc, there is no pain unless the disc progresses into a protrusion or herniation. Your back problems may signal that you need bulging disc treatment.

Although a disc bulge does not usually cause compression, it may cause inflammation and mimic the symptoms of a disc protrusion or herniation. An abnormal disc does not always cause pain and may be found during a routine or diagnostic imaging test such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). If the bulging disc symptoms cannot be alleviated through conservative measures, there are minimally invasive techniques available to address bulging disc treatment.

Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of one or more areas of the spinal canal most often in your neck or lower back. This narrowing can put pressure on your spinal cord or on the spinal nerves exiting the spine. Spinal stenosis symptoms, depending on the location in your spine, include cramping, pain, or numbness in your legs, back, neck, shoulders, or arms; or a loss of sensation in your extremities, and sometimes problems with bladder or bowel function.

Spinal stenosis is most commonly caused by progressive wear of the spinal components over time, and it’s important to find a doctor who specializes in spinal stenosis treatment in order to determine the best plan for you. Conservative spinal stenosis treatment may include a variety of medications, physical therapy/Chiropractic treatment, injection therapy, a Tens unit and supportive bracing. In cases that have failed conservative treatment, spinal stenosis surgery is often successful in relieving symptoms. As with other conditions, there are a variety of minimally invasive surgical approaches.

Degenerative disc disease is one of the most common causes of low back pain and neck pain, and also one of the most misunderstood. Simply put, degenerative disc disease describes the symptoms of pain and possibly radiating weakness or numbness stemming from a degenerated disc in the spine.

Degenerative disc disease is one of the most common causes of low back pain and neck pain, and also one of the most misunderstood. Simply put, degenerative disc disease describes the symptoms of pain and possibly radiating weakness or numbness stemming from a degenerated disc in the spine.

A pinched nerve occurs when too much pressure is applied to a nerve by surrounding tissues such as bone spurs, disc herniation and ligaments. This pressure (compression) disrupts the nerves function causing pain, tingling, numbness or weakness in the affected area, and in many cases causing permanent damage if not addressed with the right pinched nerve treatment.

The facet or spinal joints are located on both sides on the back of the spine. They are located at each level of the spine where a disc is present. Together with the disc, facets are responsible for the movement of the spine. Facet disease is caused occurs when there is degeneration of the facet joint. Facet disease is characterized by worn-down cartilage as a result of aging, injury or overuse. Arthritic facets can contribute to spinal stenosis and pinching of spinal nerves. In the condition called degenerative spondylolisthesis, the joints have allowed for abnormal and excessive movement, which can result in spinal instability, possibly causing pain numbness or weakness.

Foraminal Stenosis is the narrowing of the cervical disc space caused by enlargement of a joint (the uncinate process) in the spinal canal. The majority of symptoms with this type of cervical spinal stenosis are usually caused by one nerve root on one side. Typically, the condition is characterized by non-continuous pain developing slowly over many years and is related to an activity (such as bicycle riding) or position (such as holding the neck in an extended position).

“Arthritis” describes many different diseases that cause tenderness, pain, swelling, and joint stiffness. With osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, the cartilage around the joint wears out, causing the bones in the joint to rub together, creating inflammation and pain.

Degenerative scoliosis, also known as adult scoliosis or adult onset scoliosis, describes a side-to-side curvature of the spine cause by degeneration of the facet joints. The condition occurs most frequently occurs in people over 65 years of age. The scoliosis curve, which typically forms a “C” shape, is located in the lumbar spine.

There are many ways to define pain. A useful definition is from pain expert Margo McCaffrey, MSN,RN, FAAN: “Pain is whatever the experiencing person says it is, and exists whenever he says it does.” The International Association for the Study of Pain says it is “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience in association with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage.” Whatever definition you prefer, pain is a sensation that hurts, and it has both physical and emotional aspects to consider.

Pain, which can be caused by the disease itself or by treatments, is common in people with cancer, although not all people with cancer will experience pain. Approximately 30% to 50% of people with cancer experience pain while undergoing treatment, and 70% to 90% of people with advanced cancer experience pain Lesage P. and Portenoy RK. Cancer Control; Journal of the Moffitt Cancer Center 1999;6(2):136-145.

Pain in the foot can be due to a problem in any part of the foot. Bones, ligaments, tendons, muscles, fascia, toenail beds, nerves, blood vessels, or skin can be the source of Foot pain.

Face pain may be dull and throbbing or an intense, stabbing discomfort in the face or forehead. It can occur in one or both sides.

It’s important to figure out what type of headache is causing your pain. If you know your headache type, you can treat it correctly.

Tension headaches, the most common type, feel like a constant ache or pressure around the head, especially at the temples or back of the head and neck. Not as severe as migraines, they don’t usually cause nausea or vomiting, and they rarely halt daily activities.

Cluster headache pain, which affects more men than women, are recurring headaches that occur in groups or cycles. They appear suddenly and are characterized by severe, debilitating pain on one side of the head, and are often accompanied by a watery eye and nasal congestion or a runny nose on the same side of the face.

Sudden pain in one of the knees is usually the result of overusing the knee or injuring it. In many cases, you don’t need to see your GP.

The knee joint is particularly vulnerable to damage and pain because it takes the full weight of your body and any extra force when you run or jump.

Arthritis

• Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Septic arthritis
• Cancer
• Advanced (metastatic) cancer that has spread to the bones
• Bone cancer
• Leukemia

Injuries

• Bursitis
• Dislocation
• Hip fracture
• Hip labral tear
• Inguinal hernia
• Sprains and strains
• Tendinitis

Phantom limb pain is pain that feels like it’s coming from a body part that’s no longer there. Doctors once believed this post-amputation phenomenon was a psychological problem, but experts now recognize that these real sensations originate in the spinal cord and brain. Although phantom pain occurs most often in people who’ve had an arm or leg removed, the disorder may also occur after surgeries to remove other body parts, such as the breast, penis, eye or tongue. For some people, phantom pain gets better over time without treatment. For others, managing phantom pain can be challenging.

Coccydynia, commonly called tailbone pain or coccygeal pain, is a fairly rare and relatively poorly understood condition that can cause persistent pain at the very bottom of the spine. This part of the spine is the coccyx, or tailbone. Coccydynia is felt as a localized pain and will generally feel worse when sitting or with any activity that puts pressure on the bottom area of the spine.

Coccydynia, commonly called tailbone pain or coccygeal pain, is a fairly rare and relatively poorly understood condition that can cause persistent pain at the very bottom of the spine. This part of the spine is the coccyx, or tailbone. Coccydynia is felt as a localized pain and will generally feel worse when sitting or with any activity that puts pressure on the bottom area of the spine.

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy is a complex, poorly understood condition that can result in chronic pain in the upper extremity.

There is usually some traumatic event to the upper extremity that starts the pain syndrome. A pain pathway is then set up that continues on after the traumatic injury has resolved.

It is thought that this is a sympathetically mediated condition, in which overactivity in the sympathetic nerves creates constriction of the arteries that supply blood to the arm.

There are many different terms for sacroiliac joint problems, including SI joint dysfunction, SI joint syndrome, SI joint strain, and SI joint inflammation. Each of these terms refers to a condition that causes pain in the SI joints from a specific cause.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF SACROILIAC JOINT DYSFUNCTION?

As with most other joints in the body, the SI joints have a cartilage layer covering the bone. The cartilage allows for some movement and acts as a shock absorber between the bones. When this cartilage is damaged or worn away, the bones begin to rub on each other, and degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis) occurs.

Another common cause of SI joint dysfunction is pregnancy. During pregnancy, hormones are released in the woman’s body that allows ligaments to relax. This prepares the body for childbirth. Relaxation of the ligaments holding the SI joints together allows for increased motion in the joints and can lead to increased stresses and abnormal wear.

Diabetic neuropathy is nerve damage caused by diabetes. When it affects the arms, hands, legs and feet it is known as diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is different from peripheral arterial disease (poor circulation), which affects the blood vessels rather than the nerves. with pain medication or pain killers. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy doesn’t emerge overnight. Instead, it usually develops slowly and worsens over time. Some patients have this condition long before they are diagnosed with diabetes. Having diabetes for several years may increase the likelihood of having diabetic neuropathy. Depending on the type(s) of nerves involved, one or more symptoms may be present in diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic pain condition. The key symptom of CRPS is continuous, intense pain out of proportion to the severity of the injury, which gets worse rather than better over time. CRPS most often affects one of the arms, legs, hands, or feet. Often the pain spreads to include the entire arm or leg. Typical features include dramatic changes in the color and temperature of the skin over the affected limb or body part, accompanied by intense burning pain, skin sensitivity, sweating, and swelling. Doctors aren’t sure what causes CRPS. In some cases the sympathetic nervous system plays an important role in sustaining the pain. Another theory is that CRPS is caused by a triggering of the immune response, which leads to the characteristic inflammatory symptoms of redness, warmth, and swelling in the affected area.

Whiplash-a soft tissue injury to the neck-is also called neck sprain or neck strain. It is characterized by a collection of symptoms that occur following damage to the neck, usually because of sudden extension and flexion. The disorder commonly occurs as the result of an automobile accident and may include injury to intervertebral.

IS THERE ANY TREATMENT?

Treatment for individuals with whiplash pain may include pain medications, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antidepressants, muscle relaxants, and a cervical collar (usually worn for 2 to 3 weeks). Range of motion exercises and cervical traction may also be prescribed. Supplemental heat application may relieve muscle tension.

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), also called tic douloureux, is a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal or 5th cranial nerve, one of the most widely distributed nerves in the head. TN is a form of neuropathic pain (pain associated with nerve injury or nerve lesion.) The typical or “classic” form of the disorder (called “Type 1” or TN1) causes extreme, sporadic, sudden burning or shock-like facial pain that lasts anywhere from a few seconds to as long as two minutes per episode. These attacks can occur in quick succession, in volleys lasting as long as two hours. The atypical form of the disorder (called “Type 2” or TN2), is characterized by constant aching, burning, stabbing pain of somewhat lower intensity than Type 1. Both forms of pain may occur in the same person, sometimes at the same time. The intensity of pain can be physically and mentally incapacitating.

Back pain includes lower back pain, middle back pain, upper back pain or low back pain with sciatica. Nerve and muscular problems, degenerative disc disease, and arthritis can result in back pain. Back pain symptoms may be relived with pain medication or pain killers.