Spine Injuries and Disorders

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Summary

Your backbone, or spine, is made up of 26 bone discs called vertebrae. The vertebrae protect your spinal cord and allow you to stand and bend. A number of problems can change the structure of the spine or damage the vertebrae and surrounding tissue. They include:

Infections
Injuries
Tumors
Conditions, such as ankylosing spondylitis and scoliosis
Bone changes that come with age, such as spinal stenosis and herniated disks

Spinal diseases often cause pain when bone changes put pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. They can also limit movement. Treatments differ by disease, but sometimes they include back braces and surgery.

Diagnosis and Tests

Electromyography (EMG) and Nerve Conduction Studies (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Lumbar and Cervical Discography (North American Spine Society)
Spine CT (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
Spine MRI (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish

Prevention and Risk Factors

Getting It Straight: Improve Your Posture for Better Health (National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

About Neurointerventions (Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery)
Artificial Disc Replacement (ADR) (North American Spine Society)
Back Surgery: When Is It a Good Idea? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Chiropractic: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Epidural Injections (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
Halo-Gravity Traction (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Lumbar (Open) Microscopic Discectomy (North American Spine Society)
Vertebroplasty for Spine Fracture Pain (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish

Living With

Spine Rehabilitation Exercises (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)

Related Issues

Degenerative Changes in the Spine: Is This Arthritis? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Specifics

Fractures of the Thoracic and Lumbar Spine (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - PDF
Kyphosis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Spinal Cord Tumor (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Spinal Infections (North American Spine Society)
Spondylolysis and Spondylolysthesis (North American Spine Society)
Whiplash and Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAS) (North American Spine Society)

Genetics

Intervertebral disc disease: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
Spondylocostal dysostosis: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
Spondylothoracic dysostosis: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

Images

Lumbar spinal surgery - series (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Spinal fusion - series (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Vertebroplasty - series (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Videos and Tutorials

Prevention: Exercise (North American Spine Society)

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Fractures, Compression (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Kyphosis (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Spinal Diseases (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Spinal Fractures (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Spinal Injuries (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Spondylolisthesis (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Reference Desk

Definitions A-Z (North American Spine Society)

Find an Expert

Find a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician (American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation)
Find a Physical Therapist Near You (American Physical Therapy Association)
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Also in Spanish

Children

Halo Brace (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Teenagers

Kyphosis (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

Compression fractures of the back (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Foraminotomy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Kyphosis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Laminectomy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Lordosis - lumbar (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Spinal fusion (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Spine surgery - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Spondylolisthesis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish