If you experience chronic back pain, like
many other Sandy Springs back pain patients, odds
are you’ve heard of paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate. This spinal
condition can cause a great deal of discomfort and can even
result in gait disturbances. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate and how it
is associated with lumbar spinal stenosis and its treatment
with spinal manipulation available at Cross Chiropractic Center.
WHAT IS PARASPINAL MUSCLE FATTY INFILTRATE?
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate is a build-up of fat within the muscle tissues located
near the spine. Genetics or aging are often culprits of this condition,
but it can
also be triggered by lifestyle factors like poor nutrition or lack of exercise. It is
important to note that this condition
does not always produce symptoms, but if it does, they can include
low back pain, stiffness in the lower back and legs, or difficulty walking due
to gait disturbances as gait relies on hip muscles
like the gluteus medius. A recent report explained how
the extent to which the gluteus medius is atrophied (weakened)
influenced lumbar spinal stenosis symptomatology. (1) One of the most common spinal problems
affecting more than 500 million people over 65 years old,
lumbar spinal stenosis, is related to distorted
gait as gait relies on strong muscle activity. (2)
Sandy Springs chiropractic patients know Cross Chiropractic Center evaluates gait
in all our patients during our chiropractic exam.
PARASPINAL FATTY INFILTRATE AND LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate can be related to lumbar spinal stenosis—a narrowing of the spinal canal that results
in lower back pain and even pain down the legs by putting
pressure on spinal nerves – and resultant
Sandy Springs back pain. Intervertebral disc degeneration and
fatty-infiltrated paraspinal muscles – multifidus, erector spinae, etc. – are linked
and known to contribute to chronic low back pain and its
issues: the more fat, the more degeneration.
(3) Other researchers agreed that fat infiltration of the
paraspinal muscles like the multifidus muscle may be linked to lower back pain when it was not linked to other
factors like a person with back pain who was male, older or has a higher BMI
older, male, or having a higher BMI]78]. (4) Cross Chiropractic Center offers relieving
chiropractic treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis and its back pain.
LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS & SPINAL MANIPULATION
There are various treatment options for spinal stenosis influenced by the
severity and the healthcare practitioner who was seen from nutrition,
surgery, exercise, drugs, and/or
spinal manipulation and mobilization. One study reported
that one session of spinal manipulation was
found to significantly decrease spinal
stiffness and enhanced the multifidus muscle thickness ratio which
lasted for more than 7 days in spinal manipulation
responders. (5) Your Sandy Springs chiropractor uses the
latter for back pain relief, especially the
well-researched chiropractic Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management. Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with
Dr. Michael Johnson as he details how The
Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management addresses back pain and
affiliated muscles.
CONTACT Cross Chiropractic Center
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate is a common condition
that can trigger a range of issues involving low
back pain, stiffness in the lower body, and gait disturbances. It is sometimes
associated with lumbar spinal stenosis. If you are experiencing any
symptoms associated with paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate or
lumbar spinal stenosis, it's important to visit with
your Sandy Springs chiropractor at Cross Chiropractic Center about your treatment
options so you can find relief as quickly as possible.
Schedule your appointment today!