Help for Sitka Back Pain's Fatty Paraspinal Muscles
If you experience chronic back pain, like many other Sitka back pain patients, chances are you have heard of paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate. This spinal condition can cause a lot of discomfort and can even result in gait disturbances. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate and how it is related to lumbar spinal stenosis and its treatment with spinal manipulation offered at Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka.
WHAT IS PARASPINAL MUSCLE FATTY INFILTRATE?
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate is a build-up of fat within the tissues of the muscles located near the spine. This condition is often caused by aging or genetics, although it can also be activated by lifestyle factors like eating poorly or not exercising. It is important to note that this condition does not always produce symptoms, but if it does, they can include low back pain, stiffness in the lower back and legs, or difficulty walking due to gait disturbances as gait depends on hip muscles like the gluteus medius. A recent report explained how the extent to which the gluteus medius is atrophied (degenerated) impacted lumbar spinal stenosis symptomatology. (1) One of the most common spinal conditions affecting more than 500 million people over 65 years old, lumbar spinal stenosis, is related to altered gait as gait relies on strong muscle activity. (2) Sitka chiropractic patients know Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka evaluates gait in all our patients during our chiropractic exam.
PARASPINAL FATTY INFILTRATE AND LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate can be related to lumbar spinal stenosis—a narrowing of the spinal canal that exerts pressure on nerve roots and causes pain and other symptoms in the lower back and legs – and resultant Sitka back pain. Intervertebral disc degeneration and fatty-infiltrated paraspinal muscles – multifidus, erector spinae, etc. – are related and known to cause chronic low back pain and related issues: the more fat, the more degeneration. (3) Other researchers agreed that fat infiltration of the paraspinal muscles like the multifidus muscle may be associated with lower back pain when it was not associated with other factors like a person with back pain who was male, older or has a higher BMI older, male, or having a higher BMI. (4) Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka offers alleviating chiropractic treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis and its back pain.
LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS & SPINAL MANIPULATION
There are various treatment options for spinal stenosis influenced by the severity and the healthcare practitioner who was seen from drugs and surgery to exercise, nutrition, and/or spinal manipulation and mobilization. A study described that one treatment of spinal manipulation significantly decreased spinal stiffness and increased the multifidus muscle thickness ratio which lasted for more than 7 days for spinal manipulation responders. (5) Your Sitka chiropractor uses the latter for back pain relief, especially the well-researched chiropractic Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management. Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes how The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management addresses back pain and affiliated muscles.
CONTACT Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate is a common condition that can trigger a range of issues including low back pain, stiffness in the lower body, and gait disturbances. It is sometimes associated with lumbar spinal stenosis. If you are experiencing any symptoms associated with paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate or lumbar spinal stenosis, it's time to visit with your Sitka chiropractor at Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka about your treatment options so you can find relief as quickly as possible. Make your appointment today!
