Treatment for Spinal Conditions in Ontario

Treatment for Spinal Conditions

Everyone wants to live a pain-free life without any ailments or conditions. However, things sometimes turn out differently than you expect them to be. Everyone experiences pain at some point in their life. Research suggests that more than half of adults live with pain, and back pain is the most prevalent. Another study suggests that many Americans will experience back pain in their lifetime. Persistent lower back pain or spasms, an aching neck, sciatic nerve pain shooting down the leg, or chronic back pain may trouble you. Are you someone who often complains about back pain? Do you struggle while doing any physical activity? In short, your pain affects your day-to-day life and hampers your work. We understand how difficult it can be to continue in your personal and professional space if a person struggles with discomfort or pain. You may miss out on work or tasks at home due to that pain, and try hard to focus on managing things. In tandem, a healthy mind and body can work wonders, but an unhealthy body can affect you in every way possible.

What Bones make up your Back?

There are 33 individual bones (vertebrae) that interlock with each other to form the spinal column. It allows you to sit, stand, move, bend, or twist. Any movement you make involves your back. This kind of support and movement can cause stress on your spine. Remember, not all back pain is the same, but it can range from intense, dull, shooting, pinching, or ongoing pain. A person with back pain may state the timeline of the pain and when and why it happened. A fall, object lift, or even no trigger can lead to back pain.

Causes of Back Pain

Muscle or ligament strain

If an individual is inappropriately lifting a heavy object, it can likely cause strain. It can be an injury to a muscle or tendon, while more severe injuries involve partial or complete tears.

Bulging disc

Discs act as cushions between bones or vertebrae in your spine. The material inside the disc can bulge and press the nerve. You can have a bulging disc without any pain. Pain from a bulging disc usually occurs in the low back and radiates into the hips, buttocks, or legs. It gets worse while doing any activity.

Herniated disc

A herniated disc can occur anywhere along the spine and happens when the cushion between these vertebrae moves out of position. It basically affects the nearby nerves, leading to pain, weakness, or numbness in the arms or limbs. Discs that become herniated are usually in the early stage of degeneration. It can happen anywhere in the spine but most commonly occurs in the lower back.

Spondylolisthesis

It happens when one of your bones in vertebrae slips forward. It is a weakness or stress fracture in one of the vertebrae. When the slipped vertebrae put pressure on a nerve, it can cause pain in your lower back or legs. Sometimes, it is hard for people to notice if anything needs to be corrected. Some symptoms include muscle tightness and stiffness, lower back pain, buttocks pain, pain spreading down the legs, pain worsening with any activity, etc.

Spinal Stenosis

It happens when the space inside the backbone is too small. This can pressure the spinal cord and nerves traveling through the spine. It most commonly happens in the lower back and neck due to wear and tear changes in the spine. Some people do not have any symptoms while others may experience pain, tingling, numbness, and muscle weakness. Remember, symptoms get worse over time.

Scoliosis

It is an abnormal curvature of the backbone (spine). While scoliosis can occur in people with conditions such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy, the cause behind childhood scoliosis is unknown.