Neck and back pain are common occurrences for many adults, but that doesn’t mean these pains should be ignored. In fact, they could signal that you have a spine-related condition that needs treatment.
Your spine is a key part of your body and is made up of bones, called vertebrae, separated by soft spacers, called discs. The spine is also made up of three sections that include the cervical spine, or neck region, thoracic spine, or chest region, and lumbar spine, or lower back.
“It is your axial skeleton,” James Whaley, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with Bon Secours Piedmont Orthopaedics, further explains. “Your arms and legs are attached to your head from your spine. Not only is it there for structural integrity as well as attachments for muscles, but it also carries your spinal cord and nerves to the other parts of your body.”
Protecting your spine starts with a healthy lifestyle that includes maintaining a healthy weight as well as exercising regularly.
Dr. Whaley adds, “And when you do exercise, it is important to use proper technique. Good posture will help to minimize any abnormal forces on your spine.”
The spine can experience breaks, sprains, diseases and other debilitating conditions. A common ailment is degenerative disc disease, which can cause pain when discs shrink over time or because of injuries, sports or daily activities. Disc herniations are a more acute issue that can happen in any section of the spine.
“If it’s in the cervical and lumbar spine, it typically gives radicular-type pain, pain down the leg or pain that shoots down the neck down to the arms,” Dr. Whaley says.
As for spinal stenosis, it can affect the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine.
“People start noticing they can’t walk very far if the stenosis is in the lumbar spine,” Dr. Whaley explains. “They can try conservative treatment, but there is a benefit to them getting operative intervention. If the stenosis is in the cervical region, they will notice issues with dexterity in their hand or balance issues when walking.”
And older patients need to be on the lookout for compression fractures.
“I think that really underscores the importance of bone health and having a conversation with your primary care provider to make sure that if you do have osteoporosis, you are getting the appropriate treatment,” Dr. Whaley adds.
Many spine issues can improve with conservative treatments like injections and physical therapy. But there are some true emergencies or urgencies where “time is tissue,” Dr. Whaley says.
Anytime you experience neck and back pain that is “so severe that you can’t ambulate or function or get around, or if you are unable to move your limbs, if your leg is dragging, if you can’t move your arms, if you are having bowel or bladder retention or incontinence, from the waist down, you need to go to the emergency room,” he adds.
If you’re experiencing neck and back pain or pain radiating into your arms or legs, consult with your primary care provider right away.
Learn more about the primary care services as well as the orthopedic services we provide at Bon Secours.
