Disc Herniation:
Background:
The Piriformis muscle is a short, thick muscle that runs from the outside aspect of the Sacrum to the lateral bony portion of the hip. This muscle’s primary function is in external rotation of the hip, it helps with extension and taking the leg away from the body. This muscle can become injured form overuse, it can react to an injury of the Sacroiliac joint, or it can be injured with significant trauma. Whatever the cause initially the muscle starts to spasm and tighten up, just like when any other muscle is injured. The problem occurs when this muscle begins to exert compression on the Sciatic nerve as it passes by the muscle. Anatomically the Sciatic nerve can run either over the piriformis muscle, under the piriformis muscle and in less common cases the nerve will pierce through the muscle belly. Whatever the arrangement, when the injured Piriformis muscle tightens up and compresses the Sciatic nerve, pain similar to Sciatica can be produced. The primary difference between Piriformis Syndrome and Sciatica, besides for the cause of the pain, is that Sciatica pain will usually extend all the way down the leg and into the foot whereas the pain from Piriformis Syndrome will usually only extend to the knee.
Signs and Symptoms:
Someone suffering from Piriformis Syndrome will describe pain and possibly numbness or weakness in the back, Butt or Hip area and the symptoms may or may not extend down into the leg. The affected side will classically develop a laterally deviated foot, when you look down at your feet when you are standing or laying you will see the toe pointing outward in a laterally deviated foot. The Piriformis muscle will be extremely tender to palpation and by putting pressure on the muscle the symptoms will be reproduced.
Treatment:
Piriformis Syndrome will respond well to conservative Chiropractic treatment and can fully relieve the symptoms and prevent it from coming back. If you or someone you know is needlessly suffering from pain due to Piriformis Syndrome come into Absolute Healthcare Chiropractic and have Dr. Gerwig develop a customized treatment protocol, without the use of drugs or surgery, that will have you on the road to living pain free today!
Sciatica:
Background:
Intense, sharp, throbbing pain in the lower back, butt, down the back of the leg and into the toes is what someone suffering from Sciatica will describe. Sciatica is a condition caused by pressure being exerted on the sciatic nerve as it exits the spine and travels down the back and to the leg. One of the most common reasons for the nerve to be pinched is a disc herniation in the lumbar spine that compresses the nerve as it leaves the vertebrae. There are many other ways for the sciatic nerve to be compressed such as; spinal stenosis, facet arthritis, trauma and a subluxation just to name a few.
Signs and Symptoms:
The exact symptoms someone suffering from a subluxation will vary depending on where the compression occurs at and the significance of the compression. They can vary between Pain that travels from the back to the butt and into the foot, to numbness and tingling in the same area and even muscular weakness in the affected leg. These symptoms can occur alone or in a combination of some or all of them. In order to properly treat Sciatica, the exact area of impingement needs to be determined which can be accomplished by a detailed examination, X-rays and in some cases an MRI and Nerve Conduction Velocity exam will also be needed.
Treatment:
The majority of sciatica patients will respond well to conservative Chiropractic care which will get you out of pain and keep you out of pain. If you or someone you know is needlessly suffering from pain due to Sciatica come into Absolute Healthcare Chiropractic and have Dr. Gerwig design a customized treatment protocol that will have you on the road to living pain free today!
Spinal Canal Stenosis:
Background:
Spinal Canal Stenosis is a condition characterized by a decrease in the normal width of the spinal canal (the area the spinal cord runs in). This decrease in diameter can create compression and pressure on either the spinal cord and/or spinal nerves at the level of the stenosis. Bending and movement of the lower back, particularly bending forward to touch the toes, can ‘stretch’ the cord over this decreased diameter and increase the problem. This condition can be congenital, idiopathic (no known cause), but more often it is due to degenerative arthritis of the spine, or a significant disc herniation.
Signs and Symptoms:
Someone suffering from Spinal Canal Stenosis will often report having dull achy pains in the legs and feet usually associated with walking for a certain distance. There is often associated muscular weakness that can sometimes be the only complaint. The symptoms that are brought on by walking will usually be relieved by 5 to 10 minutes of rest and the person can resume walking without problems at that point. Another common complaint is that of cramping and pain in the legs at night.
Treatment:
Depending on the cause of the stenosis a majority of patients can find significant relief with conservative Chiropractic care. If you or someone you know is needlessly suffering from pain or weakness caused by Spinal Canal Stenosis come into Absolute Healthcare Chiropractic and have Dr. Gerwig design a customized treatment protocol that will have you on the road to living pain free today!
Spondylolesthesis:
Background:
Spondylolesthesis is a condition characterized by a fracture, usually of the lower Lumbar Vertebrae, that can be due to a significant trauma, but is most often a stress fracture that is a result of continual overloading of the posterior elements of the vertebrae. It is most often seen in the young athlete, particularly gymnasts, and is a condition that can be handled conservatively if it is discovered early enough.
Signs and Symptoms:
Someone suffering from Spondylolesthesis will often describe a dull pain that comes on as they are doing their athletic activity. The pain starts off as barely noticeable, but it gradually increases each time they do the offending activity and eventually interferes with their performance. If the condition progresses, the situation can eventually put pressure on the spinal cord or nerves as they leave the back and create neurological symptoms in the back, the groin and down the leg. If you suspect you or someone you know may have Spondylolesthesis the key to successful treatment is finding the condition before it is allowed to progress.
Treatment:
Conservative Chiropractic care has been found to be successful in treating this condition when it is found in the early stages of an active stress fracture, and for treating someone who is having pains years after suffering from a Spondylolesthesis. Of primary concern in the treatment of a patient suffering from Spondylolesthesis is that the situation usually creates abnormal posture of the lower back vertebrae. Even after the active stress fracture is repaired the postural abnormalities remain and can lead to other problems in the future. Someone who has suffered a Spondylolesthesis stress fracture needs to maintain a strong ‘core’ in order to take the stress that these postural changes will create. If you or someone you know is suffering from the pain created by a Spondylolesthesis have them come into Absolute Healthcare Chiropractic today and have Dr. Gerwig design a customized treatment protocol that can have you on the road to living pain free today!
Sacroiliac Syndrome:
Background:
The Sacroiliac Joint (SI joint) is located at the base of the spine where the Sacrum, the triangular shaped bone that the spine sits on, meets with the Ilium, the hip bone. This joint has very little movement at it, only about 2 to 3 degrees, but the motion it does have is extremely important to the distribution of our upper body weight to the legs. In any situation that will cause decreased movement in the joint, it will lose its ability to help distribute the upper body weight properly and will increase the stress to the opposite side. Situations such as subluxations, tight or imbalanced muscles and abnormal postural sitting habits can bring on these imbalances and lead to the problem. Sacroiliac Syndrome can also be cause by a significant trauma to the lower back and hips such as falling and landing on one side of your butt.
Signs and Symptoms:
Sacroiliac Syndrome is characterized by pain, usually on one side of the spine, at or just below the belt line that can vary from sharp and intense to dull and achy. Truck drivers and people who travel a lot are particularly prone to suffer from lower back pain due to Sacroiliac Syndrome because when we are in the seated position we are resting our body weight on the bottom of the Iliums, the hip bone. No matter how good the shocks on your vehicle are there are still quite a few bumps in the road that are absorbed by the SI joint. When we drive a lot and the SI joint has to absorb an abnormal amount of shock it is easy to overwhelm the joint and cause injury.
Treatment:
Sacroiliac Syndrome has been shown to respond well to conservative Chiropractic Care. If you or someone you know is suffering from lower back pain due to Sacroiliac Syndrome come into Absolute Healthcare Chiropractic and have Dr. Gerwig customize a treatment protocol that will have you on the road to living pain free today!
Lumbar Arthritis:
Background:
Arthritis, specifically degenerative arthritis, of the lower back can be an extremely painful condition and if not treated in the initial stages will eventually progress to a possibly debilitating condition. Arthritis is thought of as a chronic progressive degenerative condition most commonly seen in the elderly that can progress to the point of disability.
Signs and Symptoms:
Someone suffering from Arthritis of the Lumbar spine will describe the gradual onset, over the course of years to months, of a dull achy pain that is the most intense when they first start to move the joint. The pain will usually subside as they ‘loosen up’ the joint affected, but when they stop, restarting causes the same situation. There will usually be an associated decrease in the ability to move the lower back, bending back and rotating. A special consideration of Arthritis of the lumbar spine is that when allowed to progress it can eventually lead to Spinal Canal Stenosis. For a better understanding of the pathologic (disease process) changes that occur in an arthritic joint see the arthritis discussion under the neck pain section.
Treatment:
The key to treating degenerative Arthritis is to find it early and prevent it from progressing into a debilitating condition. Conservative Chiropractic Care has been show to be very effective in reducing and possibly eliminating the pain caused by degenerative arthritis, and it can be even more effective at preventing its progression. If you or someone you know is needlessly suffering from lower back pain created by degenerative Arthritis. have them come into Absolute Healthcare Chiropractic and have Dr. Gerwig develop a customized treatment protocol that can have you on the road to living pain free today!
Postural Syndrome:
Background:
We all remember our parents telling us to sit up straight and to stop slouching, it turns out they weren’t just picking on us because they could; they were trying to keep us out of pain in the future. Postural abnormalities; specifically anterior head carriage (jutting out of the chin), forward drawn shoulder (rounding forward of the shoulders) and slouching in the lower back do more than just make us look tired, they contribute to injuries and pains in the spine. To understand why posture is so important in keeping us out of pain we have to understand “normal posture” and why it is so important. Normal posture refers to the position of the body that puts the least amount of stress and strain on the joints, muscles and other physical structures of the body. When you observe someone that has ideal posture from the side, if you dropped a line from their ear straight down to the ground, the line should pass through their anterior shoulder, the middle of their hip, the back of their knee and the front of their ankle. Any deviation from this creates abnormal strains on the associated physical structures.
Signs and Symptoms:
Someone who is suffering from postural syndrome will have the classic anterior head carriage, forward drawn shoulders and slumped lower back. Sitting for extended periods of time, especially while using computers or kids playing video games, has increased the incidence of ‘bad posture’ in today’s society. Posture in the lower back is most likely to be problematic in a seated position where as we already discussed we develop a slouching position. This slouching position creates increased stress to the discs of the lumbar spine and can expose them to injury faster than what would be considered normal.
Treatment:
Pains created by the postural syndrome in the lower back have been shown to respond very well to conservative Chiropractic care. If you or someone you know is needlessly suffering from lower back pain due to postural syndrome come into Absolute Healthcare Chiropractic and have Dr. Gerwig design a customized treatment protocol, without the use of drugs or surgery, that will have you on the road to living pain free today!
Subluxation:
Background:
A Subluxation refers to a joint, anywhere in the body, that is not moving properly. A Subluxation in the Lumbar spine, lower back, can irritate and create pressure to the nerves that exit the spine associated with the subluxation. Due to the nature of the condition, when someone has a subluxation, the affected joint is not able to maintain its full range of motion and (see arthritis section) can alter the joint surfaces ability to “feed” and contribute to the formation of Arthritic changes in the joint. Studies have shown that an immobilized joint, a joint that is not moving at all, will show changes indicative of degeneration in as little as two weeks. Only by regaining full range of motion of the subluxated joint will the surfaces of that joint be able to fully ‘feed’ and avoid possibly irreversible changes.
Signs and Symptoms:
Someone suffering from a Subluxation of the Lumbar Spine can complain of anywhere from sharp, intense pain in the lower back and down into the butt and leg to numbness and tingling in the same area, to muscular weakness, but by far the most common complaint is of tightness and not feeling ‘right’ in the lower back. Subluxations have also been found where there are no symptoms at all.
Treatment:
Subluxations respond extremely well to conservative Chiropractic care. If you or someone you know is suffering from problems due to a Subluxation of the Lumbar spine, come into Absolute Healthcare Chiropractic and have Dr. Gerwig design a customized treatment protocol that can have you on the road to living pain free today!
DISCLAIMER: No individuals, including those under our active care, should use the information, resources or tools contained within to self-diagnose or self-treat any health-related condition. Diagnosis and treatment of all health conditions should only be performed by your doctor of chiropractic or other licensed health care professional. |
