Ashburn and Herndon Chiropractic Treatment of Back Pain and Related Fatty Infiltration of Paraspinal Muscles
Undoubtedly, our Ashburn and Herndon chronic back pain sufferers have heard about associated paraspinal (multifidus, psoas, quadratus lumborum, erector spinae) muscle fatty infiltrate. These are all linked together: fatty muscle infiltration, disc degeneration, spinal stenosis, facet joint degeneration, back pain. Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn 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 the growth of fat within the tissue of the muscles located near the spine, the paraspinal muscles. This condition may be caused by aging or genetics although it can also be triggered by lifestyle issues 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 related stiffness in the lower back and legs or difficulty walking due to gait disturbances. Intervertebral disc degeneration is a well-recognized 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) Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn tests for these issues carefully during the chiropractic exam with an appreciation for the possible connection.
THE BACK PAIN AND WEAK PARASPINAL MUSCLE CONNECTION
A newer 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. It stated that the amount 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 extent to which low back pain and fatty infiltration of multifidus and other paraspinal muscles (erector spinae, psoas, quadratus lumborum) impacted each other was somewhat conflicting – 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 points to imminent back pain)? (3) Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn keeps on top of published research and encourages our back pain patients to strengthen the muscles that they can so that they can maintain the spine in healing and preventing more episodes of pain as best as possible.
CHIROPRACTIC CARE OF BACK PAIN AND MUSCLE WEAKNESS
Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn knows that low back pain patients don’t just have pain; they also get to endure 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 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, Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn is here to help! While researchers are still studying whether fatty infiltration is reversible, Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn finds the effort to tone and strengthen a worthwhile 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 regarding healthcare providers and highlights the benefit of being under the care of a chiropractor trained in the protocols of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn
Make your Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic visit to address your back pain and weakened paraspinal muscles. Relief and an improved quality of life are ahead for you!
