Back Pain

Sciatica

05 August 2010

Overview

Sciatica is a condition of pain that is found along the distributionof the sciatic nerve, and is secondary to pathology of the nerve itself (1). The sciatic nerve is derived from the lumbar and sacral spinal nerves L3 to S3, and receives fibers from both the anterior and posterior divisions of the lumbosacral plexus. Beginning in the spine the nerve runs through the buttocks, down the back of the leg, behind the knee, and branches before reaching the foot. This nerve controls the muscles of the back of the knee and lower leg and provides sensation to the back of the thigh, part of the lower leg, and the sole of the foot. Of interest, the sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the human body, nearly the same diameter of a finger. Sciatica is usually felt as pain radiating from the buttocks down the back of the thigh into the calf and foot. The pain, which can be sharp, shooting, burning, or shock-like, is typically uniform along the nerve, but may present as "hot spots" of worsened pain along the length of the nerve. Sitting, standing up, walking, coughing, sneezing, or other sudden movements can worsen the pain.

Thoracic Pain (Mid-back Pain)

03 June 2010

Thoracic Pain

Thoracic pain, also known as mid-back pain or upper back pain, is much less common than low back or Neck Pain. Frequently thoracic back pain has a benign musculosketeletal origin, but may indicate a more serious underlying problem. The word thoracic means "pertaining to the chest" ⁽¹⁾; hence the thoracic spine forms the back of the chest wall. With markedly less mobility than the cervical spine above and lumbar spine below, the thoracic spine's main function is to provide protection for the vital organs in the chest, such as the heart and lungs, as well as allow stability for standing upright.

Low Back Pain (Lumbar Pain)

Written by Paul J. Lynch M.D. , Tory L. McJunkin M.D. , Jillian Maloney M.D. | 20 May 2010

Low Back Pain

Low back pain is the most common musculoskeletal problem that requires medical attention, and is the fifth most common reason for a physician visit ^₍₁₎. The “lumbar” spine, which is the Latin and medical term for low back, is made of five lumbar vertebra (L1-L5). The low back bones (vertebrae) hold the intervertebral discs. The lumbar vertebrae connect to soft tissue (muscles, ligaments, and tendons), and allow five lumbar spinal nerves to exit. The spinal cord runs through the middle of the vertebrae in the spinal canal, but the spinal cord typically ends in the high lumbar area (L1-L2) in most adults.