If you experience chronic back pain, like
many other Vancouver back pain sufferers, chances
are you have heard of paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate. This spinal
issue can cause a great deal of discomfort and can even
result in gait disturbances. In this blog post, we'll look more
closely at paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate and how it
is associated with lumbar spinal stenosis and its treatment
with spinal manipulation offered at Vancouver Disc Centers.
WHAT IS PARASPINAL MUSCLE FATTY INFILTRATE?
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate is an
accumulation 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 paraspinal fatty muscle infiltrate
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 since gait depends on hip muscles
like the gluteus medius. A recent report described how
the extent to which the gluteus medius is atrophied (weakened)
influenced lumbar spinal stenosis symptomatology. (1) A
leading spinal issue
impacting more than 500 million people over 65 years old,
lumbar spinal stenosis, is linked to altered
gait as gait depends on robust muscle activity. (2)
Vancouver chiropractic patients know Vancouver Disc Centers checks for gait issues during our chiropractic exam.
PARASPINAL FATTY INFILTRATE AND LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate can be associated
with lumbar spinal stenosis—a narrowing of the spinal canal that results
in lower back pain and even pain down the legs by exerting
pressure on spinal nerves – and resultant
Vancouver back pain. Intervertebral disc degeneration and
fatty-infiltrated paraspinal muscles – multifidus, erector spinae, etc. – are linked
and found to cause chronic low back pain and its
issues: the more fat, the more degeneration.
(3) Other researchers concured that fat infiltration of the
paraspinal muscles like the multifidus muscle may be associated
with lower back pain when it was not associated with other
factors like a person with back pain being
older, male, or having a higher BMI]78]. (4) Vancouver Disc Centers offers alleviating
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 consulted from drugs and surgery to exercise, nutrition, and/or
spinal manipulation and mobilization. A study reported
that one treatment of spinal manipulation significantly decreased spinal
stiffness and enhanced the multifidus muscle thickness ratio that
maintained for more than 7 days in spinal manipulation
responders. (5) Your Vancouver chiropractor uses such care 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 describes how The
Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management addresses back pain and
affiliated muscles.
CONTACT Vancouver Disc Centers
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 have any
symptoms related to paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate or
lumbar spinal stenosis, it's important to visit with
your Vancouver chiropractor at Vancouver Disc Centers about your treatment
options so you can find relief as fast as possible.
Schedule your appointment today!