Have you ever received the results of an MRI, X-Ray or spoke with a medical professional about your back or neck and had no clue what they were talking about? They string together so many complex words it’s almost as if they get paid by the syllable! With so many different conditions related to low back pain and neck pain it can be difficult to keep them all straight. Here is a reference that you can quickly check to make sure you know exactly what is going on in your spine.
| Brachialgia | The medical term for pain originating in the cervical spine that radiates into the arm(s). This is commonly accompanied by neck pain and usually related to a narrowing in the space where nerve roots exit the cervical spine. Occasionally diseases such as shingles (Herpes Simplex) can also result in brachialgia. |
| Compression Fracture | This condition is most commonly seen in the elderly population especially those with osteoporosis. It is a fracture of the front portion of the vertebra known as the “body” and can lead to a ‘kyphotic’ or slouched posture around the area of the fracture. A compression fracture can happen little by little over time or as a result of a traumatic event. It is a common source of neck pain and back pain amongst seniors. |
| Degenerative Disk Disease | A general term that refers to the age related changes that occur to the spinal disks. The most common change is the loss of fluid in the disk, which narrows the space between vertebras and absorbs less shock. This narrowing can limit the space that the nerve roots have when exiting the spinal cord and can cause neck pain, low back pain or even sciatica depending on the area involved. Degenerative discs are more susceptible to disc bulges. |
| Herniated Disk | This is a condition where the jelly like substance inside of the spinal disks pushes outward upon the wall of the disc causing the disc to distort or change shape. This can narrow the space normally occupied by the nerve roots exiting the spinal column causing them to become pinched. In the lumbar spine it can lead to low back pain or even sciatica (pain radiating to the leg). When seen in the cervical spine it can lead to neck pain or brachialgia (pain radiating to the arm). |
| Radiculopathy | A term that refers to damage of nerve at the point that it exits the spine. Symptoms often include local neck pain and back pain as well as a combination of pain, weakness, numbness, and tingling extending into the extremities. Causes include mechanical compression of the nerve as in the case of disc herniations, degenerative disc disease, and spinal stenosis but can also result from disease process as in the case of diabetes and shingles. |
| Osteoarthritis | A degenerative form of arthritis that comes from wear and tear on the articulations of the spine known as facet joints. This degeneration can cause decreased range of motion and neck pain or low back pain depending on where in the spine the arthritis is. In more advanced cases bone spurs can form on the ends of the joint, which can further restrict motion or impinge on nerve roots. |
| Osteoporosis | A decrease in the normal bone density causing it to become more porous or “spongy”. This can occur in any and all bones in the body including the spine. Osteoporosis is most commonly seen in elderly women. When osteoporosis occurs in the spine it can increase the spines susceptibility to trauma especially in the form of compression fractures. |
| Schmorl’s Nodes | This refers to a disk bulge that pushed up into the body of a vertebra in the spine. These usually will not cause any back pain, neck pain or sciatica. Imaging of the spine may show these nodes but again they are rarely symptomatic. |
| Sciatica | The medical term for pain radiating from the lumbar spine to the posterior or lateral aspect of the leg(s). This is commonly accompanied by low back pain and usually related to a narrowing in the space where nerve roots exit the lumbar spine. Occasionally diseases such as shingles (Herpes Simplex) can also result in sciatica. |
| Scoliosis | This term refers to an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine. This can occur for many different reasons. In more advanced cases this can lead to neck pain as well as back pain. Some causes include difference in the length of one leg compared to the other, misalignment of the pelvis, or trauma. A majority of all scoliosis is idiopathic (arising without clear cause). |
| Spinal cord compression | This is a condition that refers to an abnormal narrowing the spinal column in the area occupied by the spinal cord. It is often very severe condition that requires immediate medical and surgical attention to appropriately manage. It arises from several causes including, but not limited to, disc herniation, spinal fracture/trauma, neoplastic disease (cancerous growths), and severe degenerative changes. Symptoms are often more severe and can include abnormality of gait/loss of balance, loss of bowel or bladder control, as well as global upper and lower extremity weakness, numbness, and tingling. |
| Stenosis | From the latin term meaning “narrowing”, it is a common source of low back pain and sciatica as well as neck pain and brachialgia. The term stenosis refers to a narrowing of the space where nerve roots exit the spinal cord between vertebral segments. It can be the result of several conditions such as spondylosis, spondylolisthesis, disc herniations, and degenerative disc disease. |
| Spondylosis | Spondylosis is an umbrella term that refers to the group of changes that occur in the both the lumbar and cervical spine during aging. This includes a decrease in disc height, narrowing of the lateral foramen (canal where nerve roots exit the spinal cord) and degeneration or possible bone spur formation on the joint of the spine. These changes can cause compression of nerve roots and lead to either neck pain or low back pain depending on level of the spine effected. |
| Spondylolysis | This is a condition where there is a fracture of a portion of the vertebra that maintains neutral vertebra alignment (pars interarticularis). It can develop through trauma but is more commonly idiopathic (arising without clear cause). In more severe cases the vertebra can displace forward or backward leading to spondylolisthesis. Spondylolysis is commonly asymptomatic. |
| Spondylolisthesis
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Structural change to vertebra caused by the displacement of one vertebra over another. There are two general types of spondylolisthesis. The first is “anterolisthesis” which is when one vertebra slips forward on the one below it. The second variety is “retrolisthesis” and is when one vertebra slips backwards upon the one below it. This condition is accompanied by a fracture of a portion of the vertebrae responsible for maintaining their alignment. This condition can be seen on an X-ray, CT scan, bone scan, or MRI and is graded on a scale from 1-5 based on the severity of displacement. If severe enough it can create low back pain, neck pain or sciatica. |
| Synovial Cyst | A fluid filled sac that forms due to degeneration in the joints of the spine. It is most commonly seen in the lumbar spine. This can be cause low back pain because it takes up space and can irritate nerve roots as they leave the spinal cord. |
| Thecal Sac Compression | The thecal sac is the membrane that encloses the spinal cord and keeps the cord saturated in cerebral spinal fluid. Compression of the thecal membrane is commonly caused by a disc herniation and can be seen on an MRI. Any compression of the spinal cord can cause low back pain, neck pain or sciatica depending on the severity and area of compression. |
Works Cited:
http://www.spine-health.com/conditions
http://www.Physio-pedia.com
http://www.understandspinesurgery.com/Animations
http://www.tarlovcystfoundation.org/our_library0.aspx
this was a very insightful article
Thanks! I hope that it helped to make sense out of some complex medical terminology. Let me know if you have any questions.