Neck and Low Back Pain

1
Neck and Low Back Pain

• By Dutchess Neurology

2

• Neck pain and back pain are one of the most
  common reasons for physician visits. Although the
  traumatic injures are the common cause of pain
  other pathologies must be considered carefully in
  the absence of traumatic history. Most neck and
  back pain is caused by disorders of the spine.
  However extra spinal disorders such as
  Fibromyalgia vascular, GI, or GU disorders may
  present as neck or back pain. Some more serious
  causes of spinal and extra spinal disorders
  include infection processes and cancer. The
  frequent causes are mechanical and degenerative
  changes of the joints or supporting structures of
  the spine that can be confirmed by various
  diagnostic studies.

3

• These include Disk herniation
• Compression fracture
• Lumbar spinal stenosis
• Osteoarthritis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Some of the causes that can not be demonstrated
  by diagnostic studies include muscle strain,
  ligament sprain, spasm, or a combination.

4

• Etiology of back pain, particularly if
  mechanical, is often multi factorial, with an
  underlying disorder exacerbated by fatigue,
  physical reconditioning, and sometimes
  psychosocial stress or psychiatric abnormality.
  Thus, identifying a single cause is often
  difficult or impossible. Although the back
  pathology is more common than the compressive
  neck disorders, the impact of cord compression in
  the neck is more serious.

5

• In presence of neurological impairment or
  persistent pain more than 4 to 6 weeks,
  diagnostic test with MRI is recommended Treatment
  options include anti-inflammatory medication,
  muscle relaxants, oral steroids, pain medication,
  and proper exercises. If all fail or in presence
  of neurological impairment and supporting
  diagnostic studies, surgical treatment may become
  necessary.

6

• CONTACT US
• DUTCHESS NEUROLOGY, PLLCP.O. Box 2001Hyde
  Park, NY 12538Phone No845-454-6243Fax[phone]
  491 (FAX) Email ID-lrosenthalmd_at_dutchessneuro.com