If you have chronic back pain, like
many other Plainville back pain patients, odds
are you have 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 take a closer look at paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate and how it
is related to lumbar spinal stenosis and its treatment
with spinal manipulation offered at Layden Chiropractic.
WHAT IS PARASPINAL MUSCLE FATTY INFILTRATE?
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate is a build-up of fat within the muscle tissues 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 paraspinal fatty muscle infiltrate
does not always cause symptoms, but if it does, they can involve
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)
influenced lumbar spinal stenosis symptomatology. (1) One of the most common spinal problems
impacting more than 500 million people over 65 years old,
lumbar spinal stenosis, is related to distorted
gait as gait relies on robust muscle activity. (2)
Plainville chiropractic patients know Layden Chiropractic evaluates gait
in all our patients during our chiropractic exam.
PARASPINAL FATTY INFILTRATE AND LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate can be associated
with 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 resulting
Plainville 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 more fat, the more degeneration.
(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 linked to other
factors like a person with back pain being
older, male, or having a higher BMI]78]. (4) Layden Chiropractic offers relieving
chiropractic treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis and its back pain.
LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS & SPINAL MANIPULATION
Treatment
options for lumbar spinal stenosis vary depending on
severity and the healthcare practitioner consulted from drugs and surgery to exercise, nutrition, and/or
spinal manipulation and mobilization. A study described
that one session of spinal manipulation significantly reduced spinal
stiffness and increased the multifidus muscle thickness ratio that
maintained for more than 7 days for spinal manipulation
responders. (5) Your Plainville chiropractor uses the
latter 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 Layden Chiropractic
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate is a common condition
that can trigger a range of issues including low
back pain, stiffness in the lower body, and gait disturbances. It is sometimes
associated with lumbar spinal stenosis. If you have any
symptoms associated with paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate or
lumbar spinal stenosis, it's important to visit with
your Plainville chiropractor at Layden Chiropractic about your treatment
options so you can find relief as fast as possible.
Make your appointment today!