Back Pain Explained

Back Pain explains what back pain is and how it can be treated and prevented.

Basic Anatomy:

• Back Pain Home
• Anatomy for Beginners
• Types of Pain
• Finding Acute Relief
• Intervertebral Disc
• The Spinal Ligaments
• The Sacrum
• The Vertebra

Causes of Back Pain:

• Backache
• Prolapsed Disc
• Sciatica
• Spinal Stenosis
• Scoliosis
• Spondylosis
• Spondylolisis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Sacroiliac Joint
• Ankylosing Spondylitis
• Piriformis Syndrome
• Coccydynia

Back Pain Exercises:

• Benefits of Exercise
• Simple Exercises
• Core Stability
• Swiss Ball

Proper Posture:

• How Good is Yours?
• Posture in Depth
• Sitting Posture
• Standing Posture

Types of Therapy:

• Complementary Therapy
• Massage
• Reflexology
• Acupuncture

Surgery For Back Pain:

• Introduction
• Laminectomy
• Lumbar Discectomy
• Nerve Root Block

Laminectomy is a Common Operation

A laminectomy is not an uncommon operation for relieving low back pain. So, what is it exactly?

Take a look at the diagram below. You can see that arising from the body of the vertebra is an arch to form a hole in the middle for the spinal cord. On the diagram where the arch is shaded red, this is the part of the vertebral arch that is removed during the operation.

A laminectomy is usually performed to make more room for the spinal cord and for pressure to be taken off the nerve. This operation is also done so the disc can be seen and if there is a 'slipped disc' or 'prolapsed disc', then the surgeon can get to it and remove it. This would be called a discectomy operation.

Recovery is usually very good and some rehabilitation by a physical therapist is recommended to maximize the outcome and prevent any secondary problems.