People often live unnecessarily with spinal disorders for decades. If you have experienced an injury or disorder affecting your spine, you know the effect it can have on your daily life.
At Crystal Clinic, our board-certified, fellowship-trained spine surgeons treat a wide range of both common and complex spine problems, including these frequently seen conditions:
Degenerative disc disease,
which occurs when the rubbery discs that act like shock absorbers between the bones of our spine begin to shrink with age. In some cases, these discs collapse entirely, causing the joints in the vertebrae to rub against each other. Pain is the hallmark symptom of this condition, ranging from nagging to severe and disabling.
Low back pain,
which can range from dull, annoying pain, to severe, persistent, disabling pain. Although the cause of low back pain may be hard to determine, it is often due to overuse, strenuous activity, injury, a tumor or poor muscle tone in the back.
Pinched nerve in the spine (radiculopathy),
which can cause numbness, weakness and radiating pain in other parts of the body. Pinched nerves can affect any part of the spine, but is most common in the lower back (lumbar radiculopathy) and the neck (cervical radiculopathy). It may develop as the result of an injury or other conditions, such as a herniated disc, bone spurs or degenerative disc disease, or have no apparent cause.
Spinal stenosis,
which is a common condition that occurs as we age and the spinal canal narrows, putting pressure on nerves and causing pain, numbness and weakness.
Spondylosis,
which is the age-related wear and tear that affects the spinal disks in your neck. Although most people do not experience any specific symptoms, others report pain and stiffness in the neck.