Home | Ortho Kinematics University | Spine 101 | Common Spine Problems
Common Spine Problems
- Adjacent Level Disease (ALD)
- Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD)
- Herniated Disc
- Pseudarthrosis
- Sciatica
- Scoliosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylosis
- Stenosis
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Adjacent Level Disease (ALD)
Adjacent level disease, or ALD, occurs when a segment adjacent to a level that had been fused starts to degenerate. This deterioration may not be painful, and a patient could experience no symptoms that lead to ALD, but the effects can be seen on an x-ray. After spinal fusion surgery, the loss of motion in that segment of the spine may transfer a greater load than normal to the segments surrounding the fusion, which may cause them to degenerate.
Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD)
Degenerative disc disease, or DDD, occurs as a result of aging and “wearing out” of the disc tissue, causing the space between the vertebrae to narrow. With less space available, nerves can become compressed and painful. All discs lose their water content and degenerate as we grow older, but some degenerate faster than others, while some people experience much more pain from these degenerative changes than others. DDD will often present as sudden, unexpected back pain following a small injury, or as a gradually worsening low back pain.
Herniated Disc
Herniated discs occur when a disc is damaged and bulges to the point of breaking through its fibrous covering. Symptoms include pain, numbness, or weakness in an area of the body served by the adjacent nerve root. However, there may be no pain if the herniated disc is not pressing on a nerve. Herniated discs can be caused by the natural degeneration of the disc over time as it dries out or by spine injury. Doctors can perform MRIs or CT scans to confirm a herniated disc.
Pseudarthrosis
Pseudarthrosis describes a nonunion of a spinal fusion or a fractured bone that did not heal correctly. The term can also describe a nonunion of bone that fractures due to the patient’s congenital weakness. There is usually motion between these two bones that should have been fused together. Symptoms include continuous back pain that may increase as time goes on. Additional surgery may be needed to correct pseudarthrosis.
Sciatica
Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve is pinched, causing pain and numbness in the leg. Sciatica may result from a herniated disc in the lower back, which puts pressure on the sciatic nerve. Sciatica usually leads to a more specific diagnosis that explains why the nerve is being pressed and can be treated conservatively, with exercises and stretching, or more progressively, with surgery to remove the portion of the disc that is irritating the nerve.
Scoliosis
Scoliosis is a condition where a patient’s spine is abnormally curved, typically sideways in an S-shaped or C-shaped curve. Scoliosis is idiopathic, but can sometimes be attributed to genetics. Treatments vary from back bracing to spinal fusion, depending on the severity of the curve and whether or not the degree of curvature progresses over time.
Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis is a forward slipping of one vertebra over the one beneath it to produce pressure on the spinal nerves. Symptoms include lower back pain, pain in the thighs and buttocks or tenderness in the slipped area. Leg weakness or numbness can result from pressure on nerve roots and can cause pain to radiate down the legs. Spondylolisthesis can also be caused by stress fractures and traumatic fractures.
Spondylosis
Spondylosis is degenerative arthritis of the spinal vertebra and related tissue, which may contribute to a loss of spine structure and function. Age is a major contributing factor to the development of spondylosis, but the particular area of the spine that degenerates varies with the individual. Spondylosis affects intervertebral discs, facet joints, and the bones and ligaments of the spine.
Stenosis
Stenosis is a condition where the spinal canal narrows and compresses the spinal cord and nerves. Symptoms include leg pain that worsens with walking and back pain. It is commonly caused by osteoarthritis and is mostly seen in middle or old age in patients over the age of 50. Some people are born with a narrow spine canal that progressively worsens, called congenital spinal stenosis.
This information is provided solely as background for discussing the KineGraph VMA technology. For medical advice about your particular situation, please consult your health care provider.
