Back Pain

This is one of the most common causes of chronic or acute back pain, resulting from damage to one of the vertebral discs that sit between your spinal cord vertebrae. These discs serve as shock absorbers, keeping bones from hitting each other. When damaged, they can become inflamed, causing pain and stiffness in your back.

You may experience lower back pain, leg pain or pain when sitting, bending, coughing or sneezing. Severity varies widely from person to person, but the pain can be debilitating and is responsible for as much as 40 percent of back and neck pain.

Diagnosis: Discogenic pain is diagnosed through a physical examination and diagnostic tests that may include X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) and discography.

Your neck and back can be affected by many types of arthritis, though the most common are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs with degeneration of the cartilage that covers the ends of your bones. It is often seen in joints used most frequently for motion. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when your joints are mistakenly attacked by your body’s immune system. It can happen at any age but is most common after the age of 40. Symptoms include pain, numbness, tenderness, swelling and stiffness as your joints and bones slowly erode. The symptoms often become chronic over time.

Diagnosis: Options for diagnosing spinal arthritis include blood tests for genetic markers, X-ray, MRI, CT scan, bone scan, ultrasound and testing of the fluid inside the afflicted joint.

Your sacrum is a triangular shaped structure – made of five bones fused together – at the bottom of your spine, just above your tailbone. The spinal cord does not extend into the sacrum, but many nerves run through the region, including those that control your bladder, bowel and legs. Damage to the sacrum is rare, but it can be caused by a traumatic event – including falls and car accidents – or as a result of becoming more fragile as you age. You may experience pain in the lower back, hips, buttocks and surrounding areas.

Diagnosis: Diagnosis of sacral fractures requires a combination of X-ray, MRI, CT scan and bone scan.

This occurs when the space inside your backbone becomes too narrow, putting pressure on your spinal cord and the nerves that run through it. There is a hollow ring of bone found at the back of each of your vertebrae. When stacked on top of each other, these rings form a pathway or canal for your spinal cord. Those hollow rings can be narrowed by a variety of causes, including herniated disc, arthritis, bone spurs and degenerative disc disease.

The condition can cause pain, tingling, numbness and weakness. Often the condition causes no symptoms, but if they do surface, they tend to get worse over time.

Diagnosis: Stenosis is diagnosed by X-ray, MRI and CT scan.

This condition occurs when one of the nerve roots leaving your spinal cord becomes pinched or damaged. The condition often is classified as one of three types (neck, upper middle back or low back), depending on where the damage is located. Symptoms, including pain, numbness and tingling, will vary based on the location. A pinched nerve in the neck may affect the neck, shoulder blades and arms. A pinched nerve in the back may affect your legs, feet, buttocks, back, hips or groin.

Diagnosis: Diagnosing radiculopathy involves X-ray, CT scan, MRI and electromyography (EMG), which measures electrical impulses in the muscles.

Your sacroiliac joints are found in the lower part of your spine, where they connect to the pelvis. The joint is responsible for absorbing impact between your upper and lower body, ensuring that it is evenly distributed across your pelvis. Pain can occur in this area as a result of arthritis, traumatic injury, pregnancy, inflammation, uneven leg length or infection. The discomfort is often felt in the lower back or buttocks. You may also experience pain, numbness or weakness radiating into your thighs or legs. The symptoms may become worse while you run, stand or sit for lengthy periods.

Diagnosis: Diagnosing sacroiliac joint pain begins with a physical examination where you move your leg, knee and hip to help isolate the source of the pain. Other diagnostic options include X-ray, CT scan, MRI and ultrasound.