Low Back Pain

Lumbar Radiculopathy is a condition in which the nerve roots in the low back have become irritated or inflamed and now are causing radiating pain from the low back into the buttock or leg, potentially all the way into the foot. A very common type of radiculopathy is called sciatica, a condition where this radiating pain follows the path of the sciatic nerve. Sciatica will radiate down through the buttock, the back of the leg, the calf and into the foot. Lumbar Radiculopathies can happen acutely and can also be a long term condition if left unresolved. 

Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) is a diagnosis used to describe lumbar discs that have decreased in height, thickness, or supportive quality. DDD is very commonly diagnosed using x-ray and other imaging. DDD is directly related to our body’s aging process and increases in likelihood as we age.

Our lumbar discs are designed to cushion the compressive load of gravity on our body and allow us to carry and lift heavy objects. The inside of our discs are filled with gelatinous fluid to dissipate forces, while the outer layer of the disc (the annulus fibrosus) is made up of crossed fibers to help maintain the disc’s shape. This outer layer can become stretched out, distended, or even rip, allowing the inner disc material to protrude or leak out. This phenomenon is referred to as disc herniation. Depending on the severity, the disc material can press on spinal nerve roots and cause numbness/tingling, weakness, changes in reflexes, and other serious neurological changes.