Lower Back Pain

We help you conquer low back pain. Your low back serves a number of important functions for your body – structural support, movement, and protection of certain body tissues. The majority of low back pain is caused by overuse, muscle strain and injury to the muscles, ligaments and discs supporting the spine. Over time, muscle strain can lead to an imbalance, which may cause constant tension on the ligaments, muscles, bones and discs, making the back more prone to injury. Common causes of chronic back pain include lumbar strain, nerve irritation, lumbar radiculopathy and various problems with the bones and joints.

Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

This describes patients who have not had successful results with spine surgery and have continued pain after surgery. Inadequate or inaccurate diagnoses can lead to spine surgery that may not address the underlining case of your pain. There are several causes of continued postsurgical pain. You can have nerve damage, inadequate nerve decompression, infection or build-up of scar tissue. You may suffer with weakness, joint instability, numbness, throbbing or aching from the surgical area.

Lumbar Degenerative Disease

This is caused by a change in the structure of a spinal disc. Typically, lumbar disc disease comes from aging and degeneration within the disc. Sometimes, severe trauma can herniate a normal disc or worsen an already herniated disc. Symptoms vary depending on the location of the herniated disc. Symptoms may include:

• Chronic back pain
• Spasm of the back muscles
• Sciatica (pain near the back or buttock that travels down the leg to the foot)
• Muscle weakness in the legs
• Numbness in the leg or foot
• Lost reflexes
• Changes in bladder or bowel function

These symptoms can apply to other conditions or medical problems. That’s why an accurate diagnosis from California Spine & Pain Institute is so important.

Lumbar Facet Arthritis

Normally, the facet joints fit together snugly and glide smoothly, without pressure. If pressure builds at the joint, cartilage on the joint surfaces wears off. Facet joint arthritis develops slowly over a long period of time, partly because later life spinal degeneration is the main cause of facet joint arthritis. Symptoms may include numbness, tingling, slowed reflexes, and muscle weakness around the joints.

Lumbar Herniated Disc

This occurs when the disc degenerates and the inner core leaks out and puts pressure directly on the spinal nerve root. This can prompt back pain and symptoms of sciatica, which may include pain and numbness in the lower back, buttocks, legs and feet. People with bulging discs can feel minor discomfort and minimal back pain.

Lumbar Radiculitis

This painful spinal problem originates in the lumbar spine. Lumbar radiculitis is an umbrella term for a painful condition occurring along the nerves extending from the lower back. If the lumbar nerve gets pinched, inflamed, irritated, or functions improperly due to a lack of adequate blood supply. Your symptoms can vary widely depending on which nerves are affected, but unrelenting pain is a common denominator in all lumbar radiculitis cases.

Sciatica is one of the most common forms of lumbar radiculitis. Sciatica refers to pain, weakness, numbness or tingling in the leg, caused by injury or compression of the sciatic nerve.

Sacroiliitis is an inflammation of one or both of your sacroiliac joints, which connect your lower spine and pelvis. Sacroiliitis can cause pain in your buttocks or lower back, and may even extend down one or both legs. Sacroiliitis pain is often aggravated by prolonged standing, running, long strides, uneven weight bearing, extreme postures or stair climbing.

Spinal stenosisis is a narrowing of the spinal cord that causes pressure on your nerves and spinal cord. Pain or other symptoms might appear gradually or not at all. They include pain in your neck or back, numbness, weakness or pain in your arms or legs, and foot problems.

Vertebral Fractures

It takes a major trauma to break the bones of the spine. However, elderly people with thinning bones and people with cancer can suffer fractures with little or no force. The vertebrae most commonly broken are those in the lower back. There is typically pain in the lower back but pain may also occur in the upper back and neck. Some people experience hip, abdominal or thigh pain. Numbness, tingling or weakness can be caused by nerve compression at the fracture site. If a fracture presses on your spinal cord, you may lose control of urine or stool and your ability to urinate. You can also have spinal nerve adhesions.