Spine

SPINE

The Spinal Column is also called the vertebral column. The bones in the spine are called vertebrae (ver-ta-bray). The column starts at the base of the skull and continues to the pelvis. Alternate layers of bone (vertebrae) and cartilage (car-til-ledge, the intervertebral discs) stack vertically one on top of the other in the spinal column. The lattice-like structure of the cancellous bone (cancel-lus, the spongy interior) in a vertebra absorbs external pressure.
The cartilaginous discs between vertebrae absorb and distribute shock and keep the vertebrae from grinding together during movement.

More than 30 million visits were made to physician offices in 2002 because of back problems. Eight out of 10 people will experience back pain at some point in their lives. Low back pain is one of the most frequent problems treated by orthopaedic surgeons.

What is the lower back?

Your lower back is a complex structure of vertebrae, disks, spinal cord, and nerves, including:

* five bones called lumbar vertebrae - stacked one upon the other, connecting the upper spine to the pelvis

* six shock absorbers called disks - acting both as cushion and stabilizer to protect the lumbar vertebrae

Spinal Cord Trauma

Vertebrae

Cauda Equina

Vertebra and Spinal Nerves

Alternative names
Spinal cord compression or injury; Compression of spinal cord

Definition Return to top

Spinal cord trauma is damage to the spinal cord that results from direct injury to the cord itself, or from indirect injury from damage to the bones, soft tissues, and blood vessels surrounding the spinal cord.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top

Spinal cord trauma can be caused by any number of injuries to the spine. They can result from motor vehicle accidents, falls, sports injuries (particularly diving into shallow water), industrial accidents, gunshot wounds, assault, and others.

Laminectomies and Fiber Optic Procedures

Q: He has explained that there is a compressed nerve in my spine. He wants to do surgery called a "laminectomy." Can you explain this procedure and how it will help my pain?
A:

There are many types of back surgeries and some of them will help pain. Because there are many causes of back pain related to the spine, there are also many different approaches doctors take to relieve the pain. Most back surgery is performed because there is a specific problem in the spine that results in what are called "neurological signs." These signs include objective symptoms such as numbness or weakness in the arms, back or legs. Major back surgery may help these neurological signs and the pain, but this type of surgery is usually performed more to stop the progression of neurological problems and is usually not performed solely to relieve pain. Sometimes, the specific neurological problem can be relieved from the surgery, but the pain is not relieved and persists after recovery from the surgery itself.

Fracture of the Thoracic and Lumbar Spine

Fracture of one or more parts of the spinal column (vertebrae) of the middle (thoracic) or lower (lumbar) back is a serious injury usually caused by high-energy trauma like a car crash, fall, sports accident or act of violence (i.e., gunshot wound). Males experience the injury four times more often than females do. The spinal cord may be injured depending on the severity of the fracture. Symptoms include:

* Moderate to severe back pain made worse by movement.

* In some cases when the spinal cord is also involved, numbness, tingling, weakness or bowel/bladder dysfunction.

When you fracture the thoracic and lumbar spine, surgery or bracing is often necessary. Often, patients also have other life-threatening injuries. People with osteoporosis, tumors or other underlying conditions that weaken bone can get a spinal fracture with minimal trauma or normal activities of daily living.