Help for Toronto Back Pain's Fatty Paraspinal Muscles
If you have chronic back pain, like many other Toronto back pain patients, chances are you have heard of paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate. This spinal issue can cause a lot of discomfort and can even result in gait disturbances. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate and how it is associated with lumbar spinal stenosis and its treatment with spinal manipulation offered at Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre.
WHAT IS PARASPINAL MUSCLE FATTY INFILTRATE?
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate is a build-up of fat within the tissues of the muscles located near the spine. Genetics or aging are often culprits of this condition, but it can also be triggered by lifestyle factors like eating poorly or not exercising. It is important to note that paraspinal fatty muscle infiltrate does not always cause 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 relies on hip muscles like the gluteus medius. A new report described how the extent to which the gluteus medius is atrophied (weakened) influenced lumbar spinal stenosis symptomatology. (1) A leading spinal issue affecting more than 500 million people over 65 years old, lumbar spinal stenosis, is associated with altered gait as gait relies on strong muscle activity. (2) Toronto chiropractic patients know Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre checks for gait issues 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 puts pressure on nerve roots and causes pain and other symptoms in the lower back and legs – and resulting Toronto 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 linked to other factors like a person with back pain being older, male, or having a higher BMI. (4) Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre 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 depending on severity and the healthcare practitioner consulted from drugs and surgery to exercise, nutrition, and/or spinal manipulation and mobilization. One study reported that one treatment of spinal manipulation was documented to significantly decrease spinal stiffness and enhanced the multifidus muscle thickness ratio which maintained for more than 7 days in spinal manipulation responders. (5) Your Toronto 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 Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre
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 related to paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate or lumbar spinal stenosis, it's time to visit with your Toronto chiropractor at Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre about your treatment options so you can find relief as fast as possible. Make your appointment today!
