Frequently asked Questions about Back & Neck Pain

What are some of the common causes of back pain?
The back is a complex structure.  You can just look at a skeleton and see for yourself all the many joints and bony connections there are in the back.  All of these structures are connected to nerves and can cause pain if they are stressed or injured.  Additionally, as we get older, there are changes which normally occur in our spines.  These age-related changes allow normal activities to stress our spine.  The resulting stress can elicit pain.

What is Facet Joint Pain?
Facet joints are small joints along the back and sides of your spine.  They can be easily injured by lifting, twisting and hyperextension activities. The back pain from facets can radiate to the upper part of your legs and feel like sciatica.  Most often the pain from the facet joints is in lower back and hurts when you bend, stand and walk.  This is the pain you feel when you get out of bed in the morning or bend over and try to pick something up.

What is Sacroiliac Joint Pain?
The sacroiliac joints are the big joints that connect the spine to the pelvis.  All our weight passes alternately through the sacroiliac joints as we walk. When injured or strained, these joints can cause excruciating pain, particularly with walking.  Pain from these joints can be so extreme that patients are unable to walk.

What is Spinal Stenosis?
As we get older, the discs in our back that act as shock absorbers between the bones lose water and protein and shrink in height.  This causes us to become shorter as we age.  As the discs shrink, the spinal canal becomes irregular and narrowed. This process is called Spinal Stenosis.  Nerves from your neck and back  can become compressed or pinched.  If this occurs, pain and numbness can be felt in your arms or legs.

What is a Compression Fracture?
Compression fractures are partial collapses of the vertebral bodies.  Over the course of time, bone demineralization occurs resulting in a weakening of the bones in the back.  Trauma and stress can cause fractures, especially in weakened osteoporotic bones.  These fractures are themselves painful; and, can additionally cause pain by compressing nerves near the fracture.

What are Myofascial Pain and Soft Tissue Pain?
Myofascial pain is pain arising from the development of ‘tight bands’ within the muscles.  This pain is characterized by points of exquisite tenderness, usually involving the back and upper shoulder muscles.  Additional sources of pain include the attachments of the muscles to bone (tendons) and the attachments of the bones to one another (ligaments).  These can present as chronic ongoing pain almost anywhere in the body.

What is a herniated Disc?
The discs in our spine can become injured.  Injured discs can cause pain.  Injured discs can also allow the central nucleus material to push or protrude out of the disc and press on a nerve.  Discs which protrude out are said to be herniated.