If you experience chronic back pain, like
many other Pflugerville back pain patients, odds
are you’ve heard of paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate. This spinal
condition can cause a lot of discomfort and can even
result in gait disturbances. In this blog post, we will look more
closely at paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate and how it
is related to lumbar spinal stenosis and its treatment
with spinal manipulation offered at Pflugerville Wellness Center.
WHAT IS PARASPINAL MUSCLE FATTY INFILTRATE?
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate is a build-up of fat within the tissues of the muscles around the spine. Genetics or aging are often culprits of this condition,
but it can
also be activated by lifestyle factors like eating
poorly or not exercising. It is
important to note that this condition
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 recent report described how
the extent to which the gluteus medius is atrophied (degenerated)
impacted lumbar spinal stenosis symptomatology. (1) A
leading spinal condition
affecting more than 500 million people over 65 years old,
lumbar spinal stenosis, is associated with distorted
gait as gait depends on strong muscle activity. (2)
Pflugerville chiropractic patients know Pflugerville Wellness Center 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
Pflugerville back pain. Intervertebral disc degeneration and
fatty-infiltrated paraspinal muscles – multifidus, erector spinae, etc. – are related
and found to cause chronic low back pain and its
issues: the fattier, the more degenerated.
(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) Pflugerville Wellness Center offers relieving
chiropractic treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis and its back pain.
LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS & SPINAL MANIPULATION
Treatment
options for lumbar spinal stenosis vary influenced by the
severity and the healthcare practitioner consulted from nutrition,
surgery, exercise, drugs, and/or
spinal manipulation and mobilization. A study described
that one treatment of spinal manipulation significantly decreased spinal
stiffness and enhanced the multifidus muscle thickness ratio which
lasted for more than 7 days in spinal manipulation
responders. (5) Your Pflugerville chiropractor uses such care for back pain relief, particularly 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 Pflugerville Wellness Center
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate is a common condition
that can cause 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 important to visit with
your Pflugerville chiropractor at Pflugerville Wellness Center about your treatment
options so you can find relief as fast as possible.
Schedule your appointment today!