Undoubtedly, our Fernandina Beach chronic
back pain sufferers have heard about associated
paraspinal (multifidus, psoas, quadratus lumborum, erector spinae) muscle fatty
infiltrate. They are all linked together: fatty
muscle infiltration, disc degeneration, spinal stenosis, facet joint
degeneration, back pain. Amelia Chiropractic Clinic addresses all of them, too, to reduce
back pain, strengthen the spine, and improve your
quality of life.
WHAT IS PARASPINAL MUSCLE FATTY INFILTRATE?
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate is an
accumulation of fat within the tissue of the muscles located
near the spine, the paraspinal muscles. This condition may be caused
by aging or genetics although it can also be prompted
by lifestyle factors such as poor nutrition or little
to no exercise. This condition doesn’t always cause
symptoms, but if it does, they can involve low back pain and related
stiffness in the lower back and legs or troubled walking because
of gait disturbances. Intervertebral disc degeneration is a well-known
culprit of chronic back pain, disc inflammation, and even spinal stability. Strong,
well-functioning paraspinal muscles assist spinal stability. With
back pain comes fatty infiltration of the paraspinal muscles that interfere
with that. (1) Amelia Chiropractic Clinic tests for these issues carefully
during the chiropractic examination with an appreciation for the potential connection.
THE BACK PAIN AND WEAK PARASPINAL MUSCLE CONNECTION
A recent study summarized that disc
degeneration and paraspinal muscle weakness were strongly correlated,
facet joint degeneration and paraspinal muscle weakness were weakly associated,
and facet joint degeneration and disc degeneration were strongly associated.
It noted that the amount
of paraspinal muscle weakness rose with level
of lumbar disc degeneration and facet joint degeneration while fatty
infiltration of the multifidus paraspinal muscle was susceptible
to weight. (2) Further, the published literature on the degree to
which low back pain and fatty infiltration of multifidus and other paraspinal
muscles (erector spinae, psoas, quadratus lumborum) influenced
each other was somewhat conflicting – which comes first
(pain or fatty infiltrate), can fatty infiltrate be reversed, is
one predictive of the other (back pain that there is fatty infiltrate or fatty
infiltrate that points to imminent back pain)? (3)
Amelia Chiropractic Clinic keeps on top of what the
research reports and encourages our back pain patients to improve
the muscles that they can so that they can support the spine in
healing and preventing future episodes of pain as best
as possible.
CHIROPRACTIC CARE OF BACK PAIN AND MUSCLE WEAKNESS
Amelia Chiropractic Clinic realizes that low back pain
patients don’t just suffer pain; they also
get to deal with muscle quality loss due to increased
fatty infiltration of the paraspinal muscles. The extent of muscle loss is highly correlated with the severity of the back pain and
related dysfunction. (4) That’s the reason that exercise
is so crucial in addition to treatment of back pain
for pain relief and prevention. Using The Cox Technic System
of Spinal Pain Management in addition to other chiropractic services,
nutrition and exercise, Amelia Chiropractic Clinic is here to help! While researchers are
still analyzing whether fatty infiltration is reversible,
Amelia Chiropractic Clinic sees the effort to tone and strengthen a worthy effort.
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Kurt Olding on
The Back Doctors Podcast
with Dr. Michael Johnson as he details the multitude of
options open to back pain sufferers when it comes
to healthcare providers and emphasizes the benefit of seeking a chiropractor trained in the protocols of The
Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Amelia Chiropractic Clinic
Make your Fernandina Beach chiropractic visit
to address your back pain and weakened paraspinal muscles. Relief and a better
quality of life are in your future!