It is important to stay informed on the different conditions that can cause pain. Learn more below.
There are numerous causes of lower back pain. Pain can occur after lifting or bending. Pain can also occur as the spine ages. The majority of lower back pain is caused by mechanical issues.
Most neck pain causes are related to repeated or prolonged neck movements such as holding the head in a forward or odd position while working, watching TV, driving or talking on the phone.
Spinal arthritis is caused by the natural aging process, excessive weight, overuse in sports or work or an injury to the spine. Spinal arthritis is the breakdown of cartilage between the facet joints in the posterior (back) section of the spine.
Sciatica pain symptom include leg pain that is characterized by a tingling, numb or weak sensation that originates in the lower back and travels through the buttock and down the sciatic nerve into the leg.
Spinal stenosis occurs when the space around the spinal cord narrows putting pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots leading to pain, numbness and weakness in various parts of the body including the legs and arms.
Degenerative disc disease is one of the most common causes of back pain and neck pain. Symptoms of degenerative disc disease include pain and radiating numbness or weakness stemming from a degenerated spinal disc.
Osteoarthritis is most common in people 65 years and older. Besides age, risk factors include previous joint injury, overuse of the joints, obesity and genetics. The lifetime risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee is almost 50%. The lifetime risk of hip osteoarthritis is approximately 25%.
When spinal surgery does not alleviate the original back condition or injury, or a more significant problem has been created patients may experience severe chronic symptoms. Learn more about the causes and symptoms of failed back surgery syndrome.
Joint pain is characterized as discomfort that arises in any joint. Joint pain can be mild causing some soreness during movement or it can be severe making it difficult or impossible to move the joint. Patients may experience hip joint pain, knee joint pain or shoulder joint pain from time to time.
Rotator cuff syndrome can range from an acute injury such as a sprain to a chronic injury such as shoulder osteoarthritis. Other common rotator cuff injuries include rotator cuff impingement, rotator cuff tendonitis, shoulder bursitis and rotator cuff tears.
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common orthopedic complaints. It is estimated that approximately 20 million individuals are treated for this condition each year. The plantar fascia is a thin ligament that connects the heel to the front of the foot and supports the arch of the foot. Too much pressure on the foot and ligaments can cause damage leading to heel pain, inflammation and heel stiffness.
Many people ask the question, “What is shingles?” Shingles is a disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus responsible for the chickenpox. If an individual experiences the chickenpox, the virus remains in the body. Later in life the virus may reappear as shingles.
Postherpetic neuralgia is a painful complication that occurs after a shingles outbreak. The complication is caused by viral damage to the nerves. The damaged fibers cannot send messages from the skin to the brain as they normally do. The outcome is confused messages leading to chronic, sometimes excruciating pain that may last several months to several years.
Are you experiencing pain, weakness or numbness in your hands and feet? These are common peripheral neuropathy symptoms. What is peripheral neuropathy? Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that occurs when the nerves that connect the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body are damaged or destroyed.
The goal of hip replacement surgery is to increase mobility, decrease pain and improve function of the hip joint. One of the most common concerns patients have before they undergo surgery is pain after hip replacement.
Knee replacement pain is a common side effect of total knee replacement. The majority of patients will take prescription pain medications for several weeks following the procedure. Topical creams and patches can be applied at night to reduce pain while sleeping.
Peripheral artery disease is marked by the narrowing of the peripheral arteries that lead to the legs, arms, head and stomach. Most commonly located in the legs, peripheral arterial disease causes individuals to experience a wide range of symptoms.
Meralgia paresthetica is caused when the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve that runs through the pelvis, groin and into the thigh becomes entrapped, or compressed. Common causes of this compression include weight gain, pregnancy, repetitive leg movement, recent hip injury and wearing clothing too tight.
Complex regional pain syndrome is a chronic pain condition that typically occurs after an injury or trauma to a particular limb. Previously known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy, the condition causes a group of symptoms to an extremity.
A migraine is an intense, sometimes debilitating headache that causes intense throbbing in one area of the head, as well as sensitivity to light and sounds, nausea and vomiting. Many individuals will chose to find a dark, quiet spot to help aid migraine relief.
A pain disorder of the face, atypical facial pain is marked by persistent, localized pain that is sharp, aching, burning or squeezing. Patients do not experience periods of remission in many cases. The pain is commonly brought on by dental work, facial trauma or sinus infections. Physicians believe it may also be caused by damage to a small branch of one of the three trigeminal nerve divisions.
The temporomandibular joints, otherwise known as TMJ, are the jaw muscles and joints that allow the mouth to open and close. These joints are located on each side of the head and work together to allow speaking, swallowing and chewing, as well as moving the lower jaw backward, forward and side to side. Any issues that prevent these joints from working properly are considered a temporomandibular joint disorder.
Tailbone pain is located at the very bottom of the spine, right above the buttocks, and may have started after sitting on a hard bench or after a fall. Coccydynia, or tailbone pain, is not seen in many patients but can be a troublesome condition. OPTIMAL Pain & Regenerative Medicine® offers patients in the Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington, Texas area various treatment options for common tailbone pain causes.
Cancer pain is treatable in most cases. It has been reported that 9 out of 10 patients can find pain relief with proper cancer pain management. It is critical for a patient to tell their physician and medical support team when they are in pain, the level of pain, when it started and how long the pain lasted. All of these items help determine the cause of pain and how to properly address the pain.
What is carpal tunnel syndrome? Carpal tunnel syndrome is reported to be the most common nerve disorder, affecting an estimated 4-10 million Americans. Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms include hand pain, numbness and weakness, and these symptoms are treatable in the majority of patients.
If you are experiencing low back pain, groin pain or pain radiating from the buttock into the thigh and have been diagnosed with sacroiliitis, you may have sacroiliitis. What is sacroiliitis? Sacroiliitis is a condition characterized as inflammation of one or both of the sacroiliac joints, located where the lower spine and pelvis connect.
Piriformis syndrome, otherwise known as piriformis muscle syndrome, is a relatively uncommon condition that causes pain in the lower back and/or buttocks. This condition is caused when the piriformis muscle, which is located in the buttock area, spasms and compresses the sciatic nerve.
Trigeminal neuralgia is marked by inflammation of the trigeminal nerve, which sends branches to the forehead, cheek and lower jaw, and causes severe, stabbing pain in the lower face and jaw. Atypical trigeminal neuralgia shares a number of trigeminal neuralgia symptoms and is a form of the condition.
What is frozen shoulder? Frozen shoulder, otherwise known as adhesive capsulitis, is a condition marked by pain and stiffness in the shoulder joint. Over time, patients may find it difficult to move the shoulder as the condition progresses. At this time, physicians are not 100 percent positive of frozen shoulder causes, but patients who have immobilized the shoulder for an extended period of time and patients who have diabetes are linked to this condition.
Almost every individual has experienced headaches. Head pain can range from a dull ache to back of head pain to sharp head pain. Headaches can occur on one or both sides of the head, radiate across the head or be isolated to one specific area.
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy, known as diabetic peripheral neuropathy in patients with diabetes, is characterized as nerve damage to the peripheral nervous system. The most common complication of diabetes, peripheral neuropathy causes numbness, weakness and pain, most commonly seen in the hands and feet.
Arachnoiditis is a term used to describe a condition caused by inflammation of the arachnoid. An arachnoid is one of the membranes that surround and protect the spinal cord nerves. Arachnoiditis causes a patient to experience numbness, tingling and burning pain in the legs and lower back, as well as possible muscle spasms, twitches and cramps.
Angina, also called angina pectoris, is a condition characterized by reduced blood flow to the heart muscle, causing a wide range of chest pain. Angina is quite common and may be hard for patients to distinguish from indigestion and other simple causes of pain in the chest. Angina symptoms occur when the heart muscle does not receive as much blood as it needs to properly function.