Richmond Chiropractic Treatment of Back Pain and Related Fatty Infiltration of Paraspinal Muscles
Undoubtedly, our Richmond chronic back pain sufferers have heard 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. Johnson Chiropractic addresses all of them, too, to reduce back pain, improve 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 found near the spine, the paraspinal muscles. This condition may be triggered by aging or genetics while it can also be triggered by lifestyle factors such as poor nutrition or little to no exercise. This condition doesn’t always trigger symptoms, but if it does, they can include low back pain and related stiffness in the lower back and legs or troubled walking because of 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 that. (1) Johnson Chiropractic tests for these issues carefully during the chiropractic exam with an understanding of this the possible connection.
THE BACK PAIN AND WEAK PARASPINAL MUSCLE CONNECTION
A recent study concluded that disc degeneration and paraspinal muscle weakness were strongly associated, facet joint degeneration and paraspinal muscle weakness were weakly associated, and facet joint degeneration and disc degeneration were strongly associated. The researchers stated that the level of paraspinal muscle weakness rose 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) impacted each other was somewhat contradictory – which comes first (pain or fatty infiltrate), can fatty infiltrate be fixed, is one predictive of the other (back pain that there is fatty infiltrate or fatty infiltrate that points to imminent back pain)? (3) Johnson Chiropractic keeps abreast of published research and encourages our back pain patients to improve the muscles that they can so that they can support the spine in healing and preventing future bouts of pain as best as possible.
CHIROPRACTIC CARE OF BACK PAIN AND MUSCLE WEAKNESS
Johnson Chiropractic realizes that low back pain patients do not just experience pain; they also get to experience muscle quality loss due to increased fatty infiltration of the paraspinal muscles. The extent of muscle 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 as well as other chiropractic services, nutrition and exercise, Johnson Chiropractic is here to help! While researchers are still studying whether fatty infiltration is reversible, Johnson Chiropractic sees the attempt to tone and strengthen a worthy 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 being under the care of a chiropractor trained in the protocols of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Johnson Chiropractic
Make your Richmond chiropractic visit to address your back pain and weakened paraspinal muscles. Relief and an enhanced quality of life are in your future!
