If you have chronic back pain, like
many other Oxford back pain patients, chances
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 offered at Satterwhite Chiropractic.
WHAT IS PARASPINAL MUSCLE FATTY INFILTRATE?
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate is an
accumulation 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 produce 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 as gait depends on hip muscles
like the gluteus medius. A new report explained how
the extent to which the gluteus medius is atrophied (degenerated)
impacted 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 associated with altered
gait as gait relies on robust muscle activity. (2)
Oxford chiropractic patients know Satterwhite Chiropractic checks for gait issues 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 puts pressure on nerve roots and causes
pain and other symptoms in the lower back and legs – and resultant
Oxford back pain. Intervertebral disc degeneration and
fatty-infiltrated paraspinal muscles – multifidus, erector spinae, etc. – are related
and known to contribute to chronic low back pain and its
issues: the more fat, the more degeneration.
(3) Other researchers agreed 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) Satterwhite Chiropractic offers alleviating
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 who was seen from drugs and surgery to exercise, nutrition, and/or
spinal manipulation and mobilization. One study reported
that one treatment of spinal manipulation was
found to significantly decrease spinal
stiffness and increased the multifidus muscle thickness ratio that
maintained for more than 7 days in spinal manipulation
responders. (5) Your Oxford 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 details how The
Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management addresses back pain and
affiliated muscles.
CONTACT Satterwhite Chiropractic
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate is a common condition
that can cause 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 time to speak with
your Oxford chiropractor at Satterwhite Chiropractic about your treatment
options so you can find relief as quickly as possible.
Make your appointment today!