lumbosacral

Your backbone, or spine, is made up of 26 bones called vertebrae. In between them are soft disks filled with a jelly-like substance. These disks cushion the vertebrae and keep them in place. As you age, the disks break down or degenerate. As they do, they lose their cushioning ability. This can lead to pain if the back is stressed.

A herniated disk is a disk that ruptures. This allows the jelly-like center of the disk to leak, irritating the nearby nerves. This can cause sciatica or back pain.

Your doctor will diagnose a herniated disk with a physical exam and, sometimes, imaging tests. With treatment, most people recover. Treatments include rest, pain and anti-inflammatory medicines, physical therapy, and sometimes surgery.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Your backbone, or spine, is made up of 26 bone discs called vertebrae. The vertebrae protect your spinal cord and allow you to stand and bend. A number of problems can change the structure of the spine or damage the vertebrae and surrounding tissue. They include:

• Infections
• Injuries
• Tumors
• Conditions, such as ankylosing spondylitis and scoliosis
• Bone changes that come with age, such as spinal stenosis and herniated disks

Spinal diseases often cause pain when bone changes put pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. They can also limit movement. Treatments differ by disease, but sometimes they include back braces and surgery.

Your back is made of bones, muscles, and other tissues extending from your neck to your pelvis. Back injuries can result from sports injuries, work around the house or in the garden, or a sudden jolt such as a car accident. The lower back is the most common site of back injuries and back pain. Common back injuries include :

• Sprains and strains
• Herniated disks
• Fractured (broken) vertebrae

These injuries can cause pain and limit your movement. Treatments vary but might include medicines, icing, bed rest, physical therapy, or surgery. You might be able to prevent some back injuries by maintaining a healthy weight, lifting objects with your legs, and using lower-back support when you sit.

If you've ever groaned, "Oh, my aching back!", you are not alone. Back pain is one of the most common medical problems, affecting 8 out of 10 people at some point during their lives. Back pain can range from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp pain. Acute back pain comes on suddenly and usually lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Back pain is called chronic if it lasts for more than three months.

Most back pain goes away on its own, though it may take awhile. Taking over-the-counter pain relievers and resting can help. However, staying in bed for more than 1 or 2 days can make it worse.

If your back pain is severe or doesn't improve after three days, you should call your health care provider. You should also get medical attention if you have back pain following an injury.

Treatment for back pain depends on what kind of pain you have, and what is causing it. It may include hot or cold packs, exercise, medicines, injections, complementary treatments, and sometimes surgery.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Computed tomography (CT) is a type of medical imaging test that uses special x-ray equipment to make detailed pictures of the inside of your body.

A CT scan produces cross-sectional pictures, which are like slices of the body. These images show the size and structure of organs, bones, and other tissues. CT images can also be combined to create 3-dimensional (3D) views.

Health care providers use CT scans to diagnose, treat, and monitor many health conditions.

Your provider may suggest a CT scan for many reasons, including:

• Fractures (broken bones)
• Cancer
• Tumors or masses
• Blood clots
• Signs of heart disease
• Spinal conditions
• Lung disease

CT scans may also be used to find the best place to perform a biopsy or help guide certain treatments. They may also be used to check for internal bleeding or injury after trauma or to evaluate the brain for certain conditions.

You may be asked not to eat or drink for a few hours before the scan. Ask your provider if there are any special instructions to follow.

For some CT scans, you may receive a contrast material. Contrast helps certain parts of the body show up more clearly on the images. Depending on what area is being examined, contrast material might be given as:

• A liquid to swallow
• A shot (injection)
• An enema (placed into the rectum)

CT scans use ionizing radiation at levels higher than a standard x-ray, but the amount is kept as low as possible. Always tell your provider if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant.

You may be asked to change clothes and remove jewelry or other items that could interfere with the scan.

During the scan, you lie still on a table. The table slowly passes through the center of a large donut-shaped machine. The x-ray tube rotates around your body to create images.

You may hear whirring sounds during the scan. You may be asked to hold your breath for short periods. The test is painless.

The scan usually takes a few minutes, but some may last up to 30 minutes, depending on the area being scanned.

Most people can return to normal activities right away. If you were given a contrast material, drinking fluids can help your body clear it.

A specialist called a radiologist reviews the images and shares the results with your provider.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Osteoarthritis, sometimes called OA, is a type of arthritis that only affects the joints, usually in the hands, knees, hips, neck, and lower back. It's the most common type of arthritis.

In a healthy joint, the ends of the bones are covered with a smooth, slippery tissue called cartilage. The cartilage pads the bones and helps them glide easily when you move the joint. With osteoarthritis, the cartilage breaks down and becomes rough. Sometimes, all the cartilage wears away and the bones rub together. Bumps of extra bone called bone spurs may grow in the joint area.

There is no cure for osteoarthritis. It usually gets worse slowly. But there's a lot you can do to manage the symptoms.

Osteoarthritis affects people in different ways, and not everyone has pain. The most common symptoms are:

• Pain when you move, which often gets better with rest
• Stiffness, especially for the first 30 minutes after you get up from resting
• Swollen joints, especially after using the joint a lot
• Less movement in the joint than normal
• A joint that feels loose or unstable

Researchers aren't sure what causes osteoarthritis. They think that it could be caused by a combination of factors in the body and the environment. Your chance of developing osteoarthritis increases with age. They also know that some people are more likely to develop it than others.

Things that make you more likely to develop osteoarthritis include:

• Aging. Osteoarthritis can happen at any age, but the chance of getting it increases in middle-aged adults and older. After age 50, it is more common in women than in men.
• Being overweight. Extra weight puts more stress on your joints.
• Having a past injury or surgery on a joint. This is often the cause of osteoarthritis in younger adults.
• Doing a lot of activities that overuse the joint. This includes sports with a lot of jumping, twisting, running, or throwing.
• Having a joint that doesn't line up correctly.
• A family history of osteoarthritis. Some people inherit genetic changes that increase their chance of developing osteoarthritis.

There is no specific test for osteoarthritis. To find out if you have osteoarthritis, your provider:

• Will ask about your symptoms and medical history
• Will do a physical exam
• May use x-rays or other imaging tests to look at your joints
• May order lab tests to make sure that a different problem isn't causing your symptoms

The goal of treating osteoarthritis is to ease your pain, help you move better, and stop it from getting worse.

Treatment usually begins with:

• Exercises to improve strength, flexibility and balance
• Weight loss, if needed, to improve pain, especially in your hips or knees
• Braces or shoe inserts (orthotics) that a health care provider fits for you

You can buy some pain relievers and arthritis creams without a prescription. They can be helpful, but it's best to talk to your provider about using them. If they don't help enough, your provider may prescribe injections (shots) into the joint or prescription pain relievers.

Complementary therapies may help some people. Massage can increase blood flow and bring warmth to the area. Some research shows that acupuncture may help relieve osteoarthritis pain. Simple things like heat and ice can help, too.

If none of these treatments help enough, surgery may be an option. You and your provider can decide if it's right for you.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Osteoporosis is a disease in which your bones become weak and are likely to fracture (break). The disease can develop when your bone mineral density and bone mass decrease. It can also happen if the structure and strength of your bones change.

Osteoporosis is called a "silent" disease because it doesn't usually cause symptoms. You may not even know you have the disease until you break a bone. This could happen with any bone, but it's most common in the bones of your hip, vertebrae in the spine, and wrist.

Your bones are made of living tissue. To keep them strong, your body breaks down old bone and replaces it with new bone. Osteoporosis develops when more bone is broken down than replaced. You lose bone mass and changes happen in the structure of your bone tissue. This can happen as you get older. Other risk factors can also lead to the development of osteoporosis or increase your chance of developing the disease.

Anyone can develop osteoporosis, but you are more likely to develop it if you have one or more risk factors:

• Your sex. Osteoporosis is more common in women, especially after menopause (postmenopausal).
• Your age. Your risk increases as you get older. It is most common in people over age 50.
• Your body size. It is more common in people who are slim and thin boned.
• Your race:
  • White and Asian women are at highest risk.
  • African American and Mexican American women have a lower risk.
  • White men are at higher risk than African American and Mexican American men.
• Family history. Your risk of osteoporosis may be higher if one of your parents has osteoporosis or broke their hip.
• Changes to hormones. Low levels of certain hormones can increase your chance of developing osteoporosis.
• Diet. A diet that is low in calcium and/or vitamin D or does not include enough protein can raise your risk.
• Long-term use of certain medicines, such as:
  • Corticosteroids
  • Proton pump inhibitors (which treat GERD)
  • Medicines to treat epilepsy
• Having other medical conditions, such as:
  • Endocrine diseases
  • Certain digestive diseases
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Certain types of cancer
  • HIV
  • Anorexia nervosa, a type of eating disorder
• Your lifestyle. Certain lifestyle factors can contribute to bone loss, such as:
  • Smoking tobacco
  • Long-term heavy alcohol use
  • Physical inactivity or prolonged periods of bedrest

Osteoporosis usually doesn't cause symptoms. You may not know that you have it until you break a bone.

Health care providers often diagnose osteoporosis during routine screening for the disease. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening for:

• Women age 65 and older
• Postmenopausal women under age 65 who have factors that increase the chance of developing osteoporosis

For men, it isn't clear yet whether regular screening is helpful. More research is needed to know for sure.

To find out if you have osteoporosis, your provider:

• Will ask about your medical history and whether you have ever broken a bone
• May do a physical exam, which could include checking for:
  • A loss of height and/or weight
  • Changes in your posture
  • Balance and gait (the way you walk)
  • Your muscle strength
• Will likely order a bone density scan
• May do a fracture risk assessment, which is a short questionnaire that helps estimate your risk of breaking a bone in the next 10 years
• Will likely order a bone density scan
• May do a fracture risk assessment, which is a short questionnaire that helps estimate your risk of breaking a bone in the next 10 years

The goals for treating osteoporosis are to slow or stop bone loss and to prevent fractures. Your provider may recommend:

• A healthy, balanced diet that includes enough calcium, vitamin D, and protein
• Lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking and limiting alcohol
• Regular physical activity including weight-bearing exercise (like walking), strength training, and balance exercises
• Fall prevention to help prevent fractures
• Medicines, such as:
  • Medicines that slow down bone loss
  • Medicines that help rebuild bone

In addition to managing your osteoporosis, it's important to avoid activities that may cause a fracture. These can include movements that involve:

• Twisting your spine, like swinging a golf club
• Bending forward from the waist, like sit ups and toe touches

You can also help reduce the risk of breaking a bone by preventing falls.

To help keep bones strong and help prevent osteoporosis, the best thing to do is to eat a healthy diet rich in calcium and vitamin D. Getting regular physical activity, limiting alcohol, and not smoking can also help.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Scoliosis causes a sideways curve of your backbone, or spine. These curves are often S- or C-shaped. Scoliosis is most common in late childhood and the early teens, when children grow fast. Girls are more likely to have it than boys. It can run in families. Symptoms include leaning to one side and having uneven shoulders and hips. Sometimes it is easy to notice, but not always.

Children may get screening for scoliosis at school or during a checkup. If it looks like there is a problem, your doctor will use your medical and family history, a physical exam, and imaging tests to make a diagnosis. Treatment depends on your age, how much more you're likely to grow, how much curving there is, and whether the curve is temporary or permanent. People with mild scoliosis might only need checkups to see if the curve is getting worse. Others might need to wear a brace or have surgery.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

X-rays are a painless medical imaging test. They send a small amount of radiation through your body to create pictures of bones and organs.

X-rays are a type of electromagnetic radiation. They create images in shades of black, white, and gray because different tissues absorb radiation differently. Bones absorb the most radiation and appear white. Fat and other soft tissues absorb less and appear gray. Air absorbs the least radiation, so areas like the lungs appear black.

The image is recorded on film or sent to a computer. Health care providers use x-rays to find health problems and to check how well certain treatments are working.

X-rays are commonly used to check for fractures (broken bones). They are also used for other purposes. For example, chest x-rays can detect pneumonia. Mammograms use x-rays to look for breast cancer. X-rays are also used as part of other imaging tests, such as CT scans.

In most cases, little or no preparation is needed. You may be asked to wear a lead apron to protect certain parts of your body. You may also be asked to remove jewelry or other items that could affect the image.

The amount of radiation from an x-ray is small. For example, the radiation from a chest x-ray is about the same as the natural radiation you are exposed to from the environment over about 10 days.

Always tell your provider if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant.

Depending on the part of your body being examined, you may be asked to stand, sit, or lie down. You will need to stay still for a short time while the image is taken.

After an x-ray, you can return to normal activities right away. A specialist called a radiologist reviews the images and shares the results with your provider.