Cauda Equina

Healing from Chronic Pain and Nerve Damage After Surgery

Ben Parr — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 08:09:57 -0800

A physician answers patient questions about recovering from neuropathic pain after surgery.

The Effects of a Ruptured Disc on the Body

Ben Parr — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:16:57 -0800

A physician answers patient questions about ruptured discs and their effect on the body.

Question: Ruptured discs and bladder function?

I have a ruptured disc in my low back and was wondering if this can affect the bladder function as well as sexual performance?

Cauda Equina

spine-health — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 07:52:28 -0800

Definition

The cauda equina is a descriptive Latin term referring to the bundle of nerve roots from the lumbar and sacral levels that branch off the bottom of the spinal cord like a "horse’s tail”.

The spinal cord doesn’t actually run down the entire length of the spine; instead, it runs from the top of the neck down through the top of the lumbar spine (L1).

Understanding Back Problems

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:50:16 -0800

Defining back problems

The way in which spine anatomy and the location of the back problem is typically described causes confusion for patients, and even for health care professionals who deal with back problems on a regular basis. Patients with back problems are all too often confused about what is pinching where, and how the back problem relates to their symptoms.

At Spine-health.com, we frequently get questions such as:

“Is the problem at my L5 level or my L4-5 level?”
read more

Spinal Cord and Spinal Nerve Roots

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:50:15 -0800

The spinal cord comes off the base of the brain, runs throughout the cervical and thoracic spine, and ends at the lower part of the thoracic spine. Therefore, spinal cord injury or damage may accompany trauma or diseases of the cervical spine or thoracic spine.

When Back Pain May Be a Medical Emergency

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:23 -0800

Most types of back pain can be successfully managed over a patient’s lifetime through a combination of non-surgical treatments, such as exercise and pain medications, and possibly surgery.

When are Back Problems an Emergency?

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:22 -0800

One of the most common reasons people go to the emergency room is severe back pain from a simple muscle strain, which usually (and surprisingly) isn't a sign of a medical emergency. While the strain can be extremely painful, it usually doesn't indicate tissue or other structural damage to the back. The emergency room doctors will probably prescribe a few days of rest, some type of pain relief medication (e.g., ibuprofen or acetaminophen), and ice / heat therapy for the strain. Learn more about these types of back care.

Back Symptoms that Indicate a Medical Emergency

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:22 -0800

We talk a lot about how most back problems can be successfully managed without back surgery, and how exercise and a healthy lifestyle can help keep your back healthy too. While this is true for most cases of back pain, there are times when back pain-related symptoms are a sign of a serious medical problem. Therefore, we thought it would be useful to discuss a number of symptoms that may indicate a medical emergency.

Degenerative Spondylolisthesis

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:20 -0800

Every level of the spine is composed of a disc in the front and paired facet joints in the back. The disc acts as a shock absorber in between the vertebrae, whereas the paired facet joints restrain motion. They allow the spine to bend forwards (flexion) and backwards (extension) but do not allow for a lot of rotation.