Common Conditions

You may have heard the term “slipped disc” used to describe a low back injury. Discs do not actually “slip”. Rather, they may herniate or bulge out from between the bones. A herniation is a displaced fragment of the centre part or nucleus of the disc that is pushed through a tear in the outer layer or annulus of the disc. 

Aging brings about several changes in the human anatomy, as our bodies become more susceptible to wear and tear. A common condition that arises because of aging is called Degenerative Disc Disease, and it is a condition that can also be passed on genetically.

Pinched nerve is actually a poorly used term to describe a variety of conditions that have a nerve component.

Trigger points are very tight “knots” of muscle that form when muscles are either chronically overworked or injured. They commonly cause sharp, pinching or burning pain. Trigger points will commonly cause pain that radiates to other parts of the body, which is called referred pain. The successful treatment of trigger points usually requires a combination of chiropractic care, stretching and a form of deep tissue massage or Shockwave Therapy.

The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body running from your pelvis, through your hip area and buttocks and down each leg. The sciatic nerve branches into smaller nerves as it travels down the legs providing feeling to your thighs, legs, and feet as well as controlling many of the muscles in your lower legs. The term “sciatica” refers to pain that radiates along any of the paths of this nerve.

Stenosis is a medical condition where an area of the spine narrows — usually in the neck or lower back. This can compress the spinal cord or nerves. Based on the specific nerves affected, spinal stenosis may create pain or numbness in the neck, back, shoulders, arms or legs.

Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) is seen in 10-40 percent of patients who undergo back surgery. It is characterized by intractable pain and varying degrees of functional incapacitation occurring after spine surgery. There are many reasons that a back surgery may or may not work, and even with the best surgeon and for the best indications, spine surgery is no more than 80% predictive of a successful result.