Pain and conditions

When any of the anatomy of the spine, exiting nerves, muscles or surrounding ligaments are not functioning properly, you may experience pain. This can include back, leg, neck or arm pain depending on the dysfunction. If pain persists, contact your physician.

 

This website provides general information about back pain and spinal conditions. It is not meant to replace any personal conversations that you might wish to have with your physician or healthcare team. Not all the information here will apply to your individual treatment or its outcome.

About back pain

The duration and intensity of back pain varies. Acute pain comes on suddenly and can be severe, but usually lasts a relatively short time. Chronic pain is persistent and does not get better on its own over time. Pain can be displayed as:

  • constant, sporadic, or in response to certain positions or activities;
  • dull, sharp, piercing or burning; and
  • localized, or radiating from the neck or back into the arm or hand, or leg and foot.

Besides pain, other symptoms are often associated with back pain, such as muscle spasms, stiffness, decreased motion, numbness in the groin, shifted posture and muscle weakness.

Possible causes

Back pain is typically a result of an injury or trauma, a disorder such as degenerative disc disease, a tumor, osteoporosis or arthritis. This can cause:

  • back, muscle or ligament strain,
  • spinal instability or scoliosis,
  • bulging or herniated discs,
  • spinal stenosis and bone spurs, and
  • spinal nerve impingement.

The root cause of back pain may vary from complications during daily activities, a hereditary or congenital abnormality, or anatomical changes that take place during the natural aging process.

Conditions

Spinal conditions may lead to, or worsen back, leg, neck or arm pain. If you feel you are experiencing chronic pain, consider consulting a physician for an accurate diagnosis.

Speak to a patient ambassador

In addition to consulting with your physician and medical teams, it may help to speak to someone who has experienced similar challenges. Our patient ambassadors are dedicated to sharing their stories of hope by interacting over the phone with patients like them. Contact us to get started.