Fernandina Beach Chiropractic Treatment of Back Pain and Related Fatty Infiltration of Paraspinal Muscles

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!

« View All Spine Articles
"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."