Q&A

What are serious spinal conditions?

What are serious spinal conditions?

Chronic Spine and Back Pain. Degenerative Disc Disease. Herniated Disc. Kyphosis. Neck Pain.

Which 3 of the following occupations tend to have a higher level of back disorders?

Two occupations lead the list of jobs placing workers at highest risk for neck and back injury; construction and nursing home workers, including nurses. Workers in both settings share the tendency to underreport work-related injuries.

What does it mean if your spine is curved?

Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine. Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine that most often is diagnosed in adolescents. While scoliosis can occur in people with conditions such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy, the cause of most childhood scoliosis is unknown.

Can I work with degenerative disc disease?

Working may seem impossible if you have degenerative disc disease. If you find yourself unable to perform the basic functions of your job because of extreme back pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness, you may be able to file a claim for LTD benefits.

What are the symptoms of a spine disorder?

Signs and symptoms depend on the specific spine disorder and often affect other parts of the body, depending on the area of the spine or spinal cord that is affected. Common symptoms include: At UT Southwestern, our spine experts conduct a thorough evaluation, including:

What happens when you have a spinal disk injury?

In the beginning, there may be spasms in the back or neck which will greatly limit your movement. If nerves are affected, you may develop pain that moves into a leg or an arm. The vast majority of disk injuries occur in the lumbar region of the lower back.

Who is less likely to have spinal disk problems?

Older people, whose disks no longer have fluid cores, are much less likely to encounter the problem. People who do regular, moderate exercise are much less likely to suffer from disk problems than sedentary adults. People who exercise tend to stay flexible considerably longer.

What happens if you do nothing about lumbar spinal stenosis?

Lumbar spinal stenosis is a progressive condition that generally worsens if you do nothing. It doesn’t just go away. 2  Progressive, however, doesn’t mean there is nothing you can do.

What are some of the most common spine problems?

Common Spine Problems 1 Your Other Core. 2 Slipped Disk. 3 Cervical Spondylosis. 4 Osteoarthritis. 5 Spinal Stenosis. 6 Sciatica. 7 Tumor. 8 Scoliosis. 9 Kyphosis. 10 Ankylosing Spondylitis.

What’s the good and bad news about spinal stenosis?

Doctor to patient with spinal stenosis: “There is good news and bad news. The bad news is that you need back surgery. The good news is that you need back surgery.”

What should I do if I have a problem with my spine?

It usually happens when your vertebrae crack or mash down. Older women get it most often, but it can also affect children whose spines develop wrong. It can cause pain and other problems, and in severe cases, it bends your whole body out of shape. Depending on how curved your spine is, treatment might include painkillers, exercise, or surgery.

How do you know when your back pain is serious?

There are several conditions that can bring on these so-called red flags. Dr. Drymalski also details several conditions that can cause intense back pain, many of which center on the bones or discs. But you also might be wondering, “How do I know if my back pain is kidney-related? Problems with what other organs can cause lower back pain?”