5 Common Low Back Conditions

Low Back Conditions

Your low back is not invincible. Everyone who has ever had to deal with lower back pain or injuries knows that. You don’t have to be an accident-prone person, or even a sports enthusiast, for your lower back to become injured. It is estimated that most people will suffer from back problems during their lives. Sometimes the pain may keep you down for weeks. Other times it may be so subtle that you barely notice it. Either way, the back pain is there, and it affects your quality of life. This article looks at some of the common conditions that may lead you to see a specialist in low back conditions in Edison.

Isthmic Spondylolisthesis

You go to the gym every day. You run on the treadmill for 40 minutes and lift weights, but does your back pain ever seem to get better? Maybe you have Isthmic Spondylolisthesis. This condition is caused by a crack or stress fracture in one of the vertebrae that can cause it to slip forward over the vertebrae below it. In some cases, the condition is asymptomatic and painless, but in other cases it can be excruciating due to an impinged nerve or slipped disc.

Degenerative Spondylolisthesis

Degenerative spondylolisthesis is the opposite of Isthmic Spondylolisthesis in that instead of a stress fracture, you have deterioration and wear of the vertebrae. 

There are different types of degenerative spondylolisthesis, including Type I to Type IV. Type I is minimal slippage with little to no pain. Type II has more slippage and is usually accompanied by pain, tingling, or numbness. Type III involves significant slippage with even more severe symptoms than Types I and II. Type IV is the most advanced, typically involving both a fracture of the pars interarticularis (a section that connects two vertebrae) and a concurrent spondylolisthesis between the fractured pars and the vertebra below it.

Lumbar Stenosis

Lumbar is a common condition affecting the lower back. It can often be caused by arthritis and worn joints in the lumbar vertebrae, which can cause narrowing of the spinal canal and impinge on nearby nerves. It, in turn, causes pain in the low back and buttocks, weakness in the legs, or numbness below the waist.

Lumbar Radiculopathy

The impingement of spinal nerves causes lumbar radiculopathy due to inflammation, bone spurs, or herniated discs. It can cause pain in the low back, buttocks, and legs. This type of pain is commonly associated with tingling, burning, or numbness that radiates into one or more legs and down into the feet.

Spinal Tumors

Spinal tumors are uncommon in adults but can be very serious if they are slow to grow or metastasize. Spinal tumors are more common in children and teenagers because their bones are still growing. Symptoms of a spinal tumor will vary depending on the tumor’s location, how quickly it is growing, and whether or not it has metastasized.

In summary, the low back plays a vital role in your daily life, but various conditions can affect it. Some common conditions that affect this include spinal tumors, lumbar radiculopathy, lumbar stenosis, degenerative spondylolisthesis, and isthmic spondylolisthesis.

Sebastian

Sebastian was born and raised in the busy city of Abbottabad. As a journalist, Saad Mushtaq has contributed to many online publications including the PAK Today and the Huffing Post. In regards to academics, Saad Mushtaq earned a degree in business from the Abbottabad UST, Havelian. Saad Mushtaq follows the money and covers all aspects of emerging tech here at The Hear Up.Thanks