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Spinal Nerves and Organs

Disc Herniation

Discs are the cushion-like shock absorbers located between the bones (vertebrae). A disc
herniation is when a disc bulges (herniated disc), slips out of place (slipped disc) or ruptures
its outer band (ruptured disc) and the gel-like interior leaks into the spinal canal, oftentimes
placing pressure on the nerves.

Degenerative Spine

Degenerative spine disorders, also called degenerative disc disorder (DDD), occur as the
interverterbral disc (the cushion-like pad between the vertebrae) deteriorates. This is
commonly a result of aging. Over time, minor injuries, biochemical changes and repeated
daily stresses can add up and begin to affect the discs in your spine. The disc eventually
begins to suffer from the wear and tear and begins to degenerate. Examples of degenerative
spine disorders are osteoarthritis, spondylolisthesis and spinal stenosis.

Sprains/Fractures
A sprain (or strain) is caused by an injury to the soft tissues surrounding the spine: muscles,
ligaments and/or tendons. A fracture is a complete or incomplete break in a vertebra (bone)
and is usually due to conditions such as osteoporosis (a condition which weakens the
bones), excessive pressure, a very hard fall, or some kind of physical injury.

Spine Deformities

Spine deformities are malalignments in the curvatures of the spine. All spines have curves,
but occasionally the spine twists and develops curves in the wrong direction, affecting a
person's posture. Common examples of spinal deformities are scoliosis, spondylolisthesis
and kyphosis.

Spinal Tumors

Spinal tumors, also called neoplasms, are abnormal growths of tissue found inside the
spinal column. Tumors that originate in the spine are called primary tumors and are very
rare. Primary tumors are either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Benign
tumors can cause pain and damage bone tissue, but are not as serious as malignant tumors,
which can spread cancer to other parts of the body.

 Sciatica is not a medical condition but instead it is a term to describe a set of


symptoms. These symptoms may be caused by compression or irritation of the
sciatic nerve, or compression/irritation of one of the nerve roots that connect to the
sciatic nerve. The pain is typically felt in the lower back, buttock, leg or foot. In
addition to pain, which is sometimes severe, there may be numbness, muscular
weakness, and difficulty in moving or controlling the leg. Often the symptoms are
only felt on one side of the body. Again, it is important to remember that sciatica
refers to a set of symptoms rather than a medical condition because treatment for
sciatica will often be different, depending upon the source causing these symptoms.
 Spondylolisthesis is a spinal disorder in which one vertebra slips forward over the
vertebra below it. This usually affects the low back (lumbar spine). The condition
may be classified as congenital, degenerative, or isthmic. Congenital means a
disorder present at birth, degenerative is often age-related, and isthmic
spondylolisthesis occurs when there is a defect or fracture of the bone which
connects the upper and lower facet joints.
 Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of one or more areas in your spine—most often in
your upper or lower back. This narrow ing can put pressure on your spinal cord or on
the nerves that branch out from the compressed areas.
 Scoliosis is a medical condition in which a person's spine is curved from side to side,
and may also be rotated. This is an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine. On an X-
ray, the spine of an individual with a typical scoliosis may look more like an "S" or a
"C" than a straight line. It is typically classified as congenital, degenerative or
ideopathic. Congenital means a disorder present at birth, degenerative is often age-
related, and ideopathic is of unknown cause.
 Kyphosis, also called "hunch back,” is a common condition of a curvature of the
upper (thoracic) spine. It can be either the result of bad posture (slouching) or a
structural, muscular abnormalty in the spine. In the sense of a deformity, it is the
pathological curving of the spine, where parts of the spinal column lose some or all
of their lordotic profile. This causes a bowing of the back, seen as a slouching back
and breathing difficulties. Severe cases can cause great discomfort and even lead to
death.
 Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, is
an inflammation of the joints caused by abnormal wearing of the cartilage that
covers and cushions inside joints. It also involves a decrease of synovial fluid that
lubricates those joints. As the bone surfaces become less protected by cartilage, the
patient experiences pain upon weight bearing, including walking and standing. Due
to decreased movement because of the pain, regional muscles may atrophy
(degenerate), and ligaments may become more lax. Osteoarthritis is the most
common form of arthritis, and the leading cause of chronic disability in the United
States.

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