No doubt, our Williamson chronic
back pain sufferers have heard about related
paraspinal (multifidus, psoas, quadratus lumborum, erector spinae) muscle fatty
infiltrate. They’re all linked together: fatty
muscle infiltration, disc degeneration, spinal stenosis, facet joint
degeneration, back pain. Apple Country Chiropractic addresses all of them, too, to lessen
back pain, improve the spine, and improve your
quality of life.
WHAT IS PARASPINAL MUSCLE FATTY INFILTRATE?
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate is the growth of fat within the tissue of the muscles found
near the spine, the paraspinal muscles. This condition may be caused
by aging or genetics while it can also be triggered
by lifestyle factors like poor nutrition or lack of exercise. This condition does not always produce
symptoms, but if it does, they can include low back pain and associated
stiffness in the lower back and legs or troubled walking due to gait disturbances. Intervertebral disc degeneration is a well-recognized
culprit of chronic back pain, disc inflammation, and even spinal stability. Strong,
effective paraspinal muscles assist spinal stability. With
back pain comes fatty infiltration of the paraspinal muscles that interfere
with stability. (1) Apple Country Chiropractic tests for these issues carefully
during the chiropractic examination with an understanding
of this the potential connection.
THE BACK PAIN AND WEAK PARASPINAL MUSCLE CONNECTION
A newer study concluded that disc
degeneration and paraspinal muscle weakness were strongly correlated,
facet joint degeneration and paraspinal muscle weakness were weakly associated,
and facet joint degeneration and disc degeneration were strongly associated.
It noted that the extent
of paraspinal muscle weakness intensified with level
of lumbar disc degeneration and facet joint degeneration while fatty
infiltration of the multifidus paraspinal muscle was susceptible
to weight. (2) Further, the published literature on the degree to
which low back pain and fatty infiltration of multifidus and other paraspinal
muscles (erector spinae, psoas, quadratus lumborum) influenced
each other was somewhat conflicting – which comes first
(pain or fatty infiltrate), can fatty infiltrate be reversed, is
one predictive of the other (back pain that there is fatty infiltrate or fatty
infiltrate that indicates future back pain)? (3)
Apple Country Chiropractic keeps on top of what the
research reports and encourages our back pain patients to improve
the muscles that they can so that they can maintain the spine in
healing and preventing future bouts of pain as best
as possible.
CHIROPRACTIC CARE OF BACK PAIN AND MUSCLE WEAKNESS
Apple Country Chiropractic knows that low back pain
patients don’t just have pain; they also
get to deal with muscle quality loss due to more
fatty infiltration of the paraspinal muscles. Just
how much loss is highly correlated with the severity of the back pain and
related dysfunction. (4) That’s the reason that exercise
is so important alongside treatment of back pain
for pain relief and prevention. Using The Cox Technic System
of Spinal Pain Management in addition to other chiropractic services,
nutrition and exercise, Apple Country Chiropractic is here to help! While researchers are
still analyzing whether fatty infiltration is reversible,
Apple Country Chiropractic finds the attempt to tone and strengthen a worthwhile effort.
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Kurt Olding on
The Back Doctors Podcast
with Dr. Michael Johnson as he details the many
options available to back pain sufferers regarding healthcare providers and emphasizes the benefit of seeking a chiropractor trained in the protocols of The
Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Apple Country Chiropractic
Make your Williamson chiropractic visit
to address your back pain and weakened paraspinal muscles. Relief and an improved
quality of life are in your future!