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Low Back Pain: A Common Problem in Older Adulta



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Everyone's body experiences the wear and tear of aging..and sooner or later it catches up with us in one way or another.  One of the most common issues is low back pain, which can arise for a number of reasons.  Here's what Paul Christo, MD, MBA has to say about this issue:

  • Most low back pain is due to strain of muscles and ligaments
  • Other causes of low back pain include problems with joints in the spine, piriformis syndrome, and sacroiliac disease. 
  • Spinal changes can lead to herniated disks, causing low back pain, shooting leg pain, and a narrowing around the spinal cord (spinal stenosis) or nerve roots (lateral foraminal stenosis).
  • If you have a problem, work to get a diagnosis first and try all other possibilities before jumping ahead to surgery.  Surgery sometimes involves fusing of vertebrae or inserting rods into the spine, and once it's done, there's no going back.
  • Nerve blocks, medications, and physical therapy can be helpful!   
  • When all else fails...surgery can be considered.  
Source: Painweek.org
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