Spine Health

Bone spurs typically are caused by local inflammation, such as from degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis) or tendinitis. This inflammation stimulates the cells that form bone to deposit bone into a specific area, eventually leading to a bony prominence or spur.

Some neck pain involves compression of your nerves, making you feel numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arm, hand or elsewhere.

As joints become more arthritic they will produce more fluid. A joint cyst is where a ball valve develops that lets the fluid out but not back into the joint. This then creates a cyst that usually fills into the spinal canal and causes compression of the nerve roots.

Degenerative disc disease describes the symptoms of pain and possibly radiating weakness or numbness stemming from a degenerated disc in the spine. Disc degeneration is a natural part of aging, and over time all people exhibit changes in their discs consistent with a greater or lesser degree of degeneration. Degenerative disc disease is quite variable in its nature and severity from patient to patient.

A herniated (slipped) disc occurs when all or part of a disc is forced through a weakened part of the disc. This may place pressure on nearby nerves or the spinal cord.

• The disc may move out of place (herniate) or break open (rupture) from injury or strain. When this happens, there may be pressure on the spinal nerves. This can lead to pain, numbness or weakness.
• The lower back (lumbar area) of the spine is the most common area affected by a slipped disc. The neck (cervical) discs are the second most commonly affected area. The upper-to-mid-back (thoracic) discs are rarely involved.

The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) is a term used to describe the place where the sacrum and the iliac bones join.

• The sacrum is located at the base of your spine. It is made up of five vertebrae, or backbones, that are fused together.
• The iliac bones are the two large bones that make up your pelvis. The sacrum sits in the middle of the iliac bones.

Spondylolisthesis is a condition in which a bone (vertebra) in the spine moves forward out of the proper position onto the bone below it. In adults, the most common cause is abnormal wear on the cartilage and bones, such as arthritis.

Bone disease and fractures can also cause spondylolisthesis. Certain sport activities, such as gymnastics, weight lifting, and football, put a great deal of stress on the bones in the lower back.

Spinal stenosis is narrowing of the spinal column that causes pressure on the spinal cord, or narrowing of the openings (called neural foramina) where spinal nerves leave the spinal column.

Scoliosis is an abnormal curving of the spine. Your spine is your backbone. It runs straight down your back. Everyone’s spine naturally curves a bit. But people with scoliosis have a spine that curves too much. The spine might look like the letter C or S.

Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break (fracture). Osteoporosis is the most common type of bone disease.

Osteoporosis increases the risk of breaking a bone. About half of all women over the age of 50 will have a fracture of the hip, wrist or vertebra (bones of the spine) during their lifetime. Spine fractures are the most common.

The sacroiliac joint is a firm, small joint that lies at the junction of the spine and the pelvis. The sacroiliac joint does not move much, but is critical to transferring the load of your upper body to your lower body. Degeneration of the sacroiliac joint can cause pain in their buttock and sometimes even well above their buttock and higher on the skeleton.