If you experience chronic back pain, like
many other West Palm Beach back pain sufferers, odds
are you have heard of paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate. This spinal
condition can cause a great deal 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 related to lumbar spinal stenosis and its treatment
with spinal manipulation available at Chiropractic Care.
WHAT IS PARASPINAL MUSCLE FATTY INFILTRATE?
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate is an
accumulation of fat within the muscle tissues located
near the spine. This condition is often caused by aging or genetics, although it can
also be activated by lifestyle factors like poor nutrition or lack of exercise. 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 as gait relies on hip muscles
like the gluteus medius. A recent report explained how
the extent to which the gluteus medius is atrophied (degenerated)
influenced lumbar spinal stenosis symptomatology. (1) One of the most common spinal conditions
affecting more than 500 million people over 65 years old,
lumbar spinal stenosis, is linked to distorted
gait as gait relies on strong muscle activity. (2)
West Palm Beach chiropractic patients know Chiropractic Care evaluates gait
in all our patients 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 exerts pressure on nerve roots and causes
pain and other symptoms in the lower back and legs – and resultant
West Palm Beach back pain. Intervertebral disc degeneration and
fatty-infiltrated paraspinal muscles – multifidus, erector spinae, etc. – are related
and found to contribute to chronic low back pain and related
issues: the fattier, the more degenerated.
(3) Other researchers concured that fat infiltration of the
paraspinal muscles like the multifidus muscle may be linked to lower back pain when it was not associated with other
factors like a person with back pain who was male, older or has a higher BMI
older, male, or having a higher BMI]78]. (4) Chiropractic Care offers alleviating
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 drugs and surgery to exercise, nutrition, and/or
spinal manipulation and mobilization. One study described
that one session of spinal manipulation was
documented to significantly decrease spinal
stiffness and enhanced the multifidus muscle thickness ratio that
lasted for more than 7 days in spinal manipulation
responders. (5) Your West Palm Beach 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 Chiropractic Care
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 associated with paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate or
lumbar spinal stenosis, it's important to speak with
your West Palm Beach chiropractor at Chiropractic Care about your treatment
options so you can find relief as quickly as possible.
Make your appointment today!