Oxford Chiropractic Treatment of Back Pain and Related Fatty Infiltration of Paraspinal Muscles
No doubt, our Oxford chronic back pain sufferers have read about related paraspinal (multifidus, psoas, quadratus lumborum, erector spinae) muscle fatty infiltrate. These are all tied together: fatty muscle infiltration, disc degeneration, spinal stenosis, facet joint degeneration, back pain. Satterwhite Chiropractic addresses all of them, too, to reduce back pain, strengthen the spine, and enhance your quality of life.
WHAT IS PARASPINAL MUSCLE FATTY INFILTRATE?
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate is an accumulation of fat within the tissue of the muscles located near the spine, the paraspinal muscles. This condition may be caused by aging or genetics while it can also be activated by lifestyle factors such as poor nutrition or little to no exercise. This condition doesn’t always provoke symptoms, but if it does, they can include low back pain and associated stiffness in the lower back and legs or difficulty walking due to gait disturbances. Intervertebral disc degeneration is a well-known culprit of chronic back pain, disc inflammation, and even spinal stability. Strong, well-functioning paraspinal muscles assist spinal stability. With back pain comes fatty infiltration of the paraspinal muscles that interfere with stability. (1) Satterwhite Chiropractic tests for these issues thoroughly 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 correlated. The researchers noted that the extent of paraspinal muscle weakness intensified with amount of lumbar disc degeneration and facet joint degeneration while fatty infiltration of the multifidus paraspinal muscle was vulnerable to weight. (2) Further, the published literature on the extent to which low back pain and fatty infiltration of multifidus and other paraspinal muscles (erector spinae, psoas, quadratus lumborum) influenced each other was somewhat contradictory – 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 imminent back pain)? (3) Satterwhite Chiropractic keeps on top of what the research reports and urges our back pain patients to strengthen the muscles that they can so that they can support the spine in healing and preventing more episodes of pain as best as possible.
CHIROPRACTIC CARE OF BACK PAIN AND MUSCLE WEAKNESS
Satterwhite Chiropractic realizes that low back pain patients don’t just suffer pain; they also get to experience muscle quality loss due to increased 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 rehabilitation is so crucial alongside treatment of back pain for pain relief and prevention. Implementing The Cox Technic System of Spinal Pain Management as well as other chiropractic services, nutrition and exercise, Satterwhite Chiropractic is here to help! While researchers are still analyzing whether fatty infiltration is reversible, Satterwhite Chiropractic sees the attempt to tone and improve strength a worthy effort.
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Kurt Olding on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes the multitude of options available to back pain sufferers when it comes to healthcare providers and highlights the benefit of seeking a chiropractor trained in the protocols of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Satterwhite Chiropractic
Make your Oxford chiropractic visit to address your back pain and weakened paraspinal muscles. Relief and an improved quality of life are in your future!
