Conditions

Sciatica Can’t Hold This Tenacious Athlete Back

Sciatica hasn’t stopped this endurance athlete, but it has forced her to modify her training and listen to her body. Learn how she does it.

Spinal Cord Injury Center

Spinal cord injury involves much more than damage to the spinal cord. After the primary injury, a cascade of secondary events can occur.

Yoga for Scoliosis: Reap the Benefits

A 2021 study of adolescents says that yoga can actually reverse scoliosis. Hear from the study's author.

3 Ways to Stop Diabetes Back Pain

Diabetes affects much more than blood sugar. Its many disease processes are a recipe for back pain.

Spina Bifida in Adults: Getting the Resources You Need

Why is it so hard for adults with spina bifida to get the help they need? Our experts explain, and discuss strategies for ongoing care.

4 Nerve Flossing Exercises for Sciatica

Nerve flossing might help your sciatica if traditional treatments don't. Find out how.

Do This to Avoid Compression Fractures in Your Spine

Vertebral compression fractures happen as people age thanks to lower bone density. Here's how to prevent them.

COVID-19 and Transverse Myelitis: In Her Words

Hear first-hand what it’s like to live with a rare spinal condition induced by COVID-19.

Upper Back Pain Causes, Risk Factors, Diagnosis and Treatment

The SpineUniverse Universal Guide to Upper Back Pain: Everything you ever wanted to know about upper back pain, straight from the experts.

Back Pain Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

Back pain - upper back, mid-back, or lower back (lumbago) - is incredibly common and can be caused, directly or incidentally, by a number of conditions.

Fibromyalgia Causes

Researchers have not yet determined the exact cause of fibromyalgia, but this article summarizes current research on fibromyalgia causes.

Neck Pain Causes, Types, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

You have to know what spinal condition is causing your neck pain before you can know how to treat it.

Kyphosis Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

Kyphosis can refer to the normal curvature of the spine. However, this information is about abnormal kyphosis, which is spinal curvature causing a hunchback or slouching posture.

Spondylosis Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

Spondylosis, or spinal osteoarthritis, is a painful condition that's caused by aging and wear-and-tear on the spine. There's no cure but it can be managed.

Spina Bifida: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

Spina bifida is a neural tube defect resulting in mild to severe disabilities, depending on where the unprotected portion of the spinal cord is and how much is exposed. Here’s what you need to know.

Lower Back Pain Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

Low and lower back pain can vary from dull pain that develops gradually to sudden, sharp or persistent pain felt below the waist.

Whiplash Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment

Whiplash is the term for a neck sprain or strain resulting from hyperextension and hyperflexion of the head and cervical spine. Neck pain may travel into the upper back and shoulders.

Scoliosis Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

SpineUniverse's Scoliosis Center offers accurate information about the diagnosis and treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, adult spinal scoliosis, and degenerative scoliosis.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a form of inflammatory arthritis that affects the spine. In severe ankylosing spondylitis, the disease causes new bone formation causing bones in the spine to fuse together.

Osteoporosis Causes, Risk Factors, Complications, Diagnosis and Treatment

Osteoporosis, which means porous bone, is a serious disease that causes you to lose too much bone, make too little bone, or both.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Center

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can affect the spine; it's most common in the cervical spine. In the SpineUniverse Rheumatoid Arthritis Center, you'll learn the symptoms and signs so that you can recognize RA.

Sciatica Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Sciatica is pain that radiates from the lower back along the sciatic nerve. You can probably relieve sciatica without surgery, but surgery can be effective too. Learn your options here.

Fibromyalgia Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder that affects millions of Americans each year—primarily women—and can be both physically and emotionally distressing.

The Dish on DISH: Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis

Learn about diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) and how to prevent it.

My Sciatica Story: Learning to Cope with Low Back Pain

Writer Rosemary Black reflects on living and dealing with sciatica and what she’s learned from chronic pain.

Herniated Disc Treatment

Learn about herniated disc treatment options, including both non-surgical and surgical treatments.

Herniated Disc: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Herniated discs (slipped discs or ruptured discs) occur when cushion-like pads between vertebrae move out of position and, for some, press on adjacent nerves. Learn more about this spine condition here.

Cervical Vertigo: The Link Between Neck Pain and Dizziness

Here's what to do about neck pain and dizziness, also called cervical vertigo or cervicogenic dizziness.

Seasonal Affective Disorder and Back Pain: What’s the Connection?

Recent studies have pointed out that depression, like SAD, can be linked with pain - particularly back pain.

Back Pain: One in a Billion

If you have back pain, you’re not alone—far from it. A 2020 study suggests more than a billion people around the world have low back pain, neck pain, and other musculoskeletal disorders. Are you a member of this club?

Adjacent Segment Disease and Back Pain

Adjacent segment disease, a known complication of spinal fusion, can also be caused by degenerative changes in the back and neck.

JAK Inhibitors Offer New Hope for Treating Ankylosing Spondylitis

People with ankylosing spondylitis responded well to a treatment previously used for rheumatoid arthritis, according to a 2020 study. Will this drug, part of a class called JAK inhibitors, become the new norm?

Degenerative Disc Disease Prevention and Relief

Degenerative disc disease is one of the most common sources of back pain as you age, but it doesn’t have to be inevitable. Here are a few ways to slow down DDD and preserve your discs, no matter how old you are.

Fibromyalgia Treatments

Learn more about fibromyalgia treatments that can ease your ache, clear your brain fog, and boost your energy.

Electrical Spinal Cord Stimulation: A New Frontier in Treating Spinal Cord Injuries?

A small trial from the University of Washington of noninvasive electrical stimulation showed lots of promise for people with spinal cord injuries. Some participants regained use of their hands.

Back Inflammation: What You Need to Know

Spine inflammation is more common than you think, and it can bring about a variety of painful back conditions

Sciatica: Treatment Options

Sciatica pain is often caused sciatic nerve compression created by a herniated disc or spinal stenosis in the low back. Non-surgical or surgical sciatica treatments are recommended based on the patient's diagnosis or cause of sciatica symptoms.

6 Leading Causes of Sciatica and Sciatic Nerve Pain

Sciatica, also called lumbar radiculopathy, is mild to intense pain that radiates from the low back into the left or right leg. Sciatic nerve pain symptoms include numbness, tingling sensations, and weakness.

Treatment for Degenerative Disc Disease

In this discussion, we address degenerative disc disease in the lumbar (low back) spine.

How to Recognize Cauda Equina Syndrome

It’s nerve compression, but not just run-of-the-mill nerve compression. Cauda equina syndrome is an emergency that needs to be treated quickly.

Breasts and Your Back: Why Breast Size Can Affect Back Pain

Large breasts can cause chronic neck and back pain. Consider breast reduction for back pain relief if that’s what’s causing your pain.

Could COVID-19 Be Causing This Rare Spinal Cord Disorder?

Can COVID-19 cause a rare spinal condition called transverse myelitis? Learn what TM is and see the evidence connecting the two conditions.

Degenerative Disc Disease Symptoms, Causes, Treatments and More

Degenerative disc disease is a condition in which a damaged spinal disc causes pain. Learn about the disease here.

What Hurts? 3 Types of Back Pain

Musculoskeletal pain—usually what you think of as back pain—comes in a couple of flavors, and knowing which is which will help you get the right treatment.

Back Pain or Kidney Pain? Find Out What Hurts

Kidney pain or back pain? Sometimes it can be tough to tell, but each will provide their own clues. Here’s what you need to know.

For Sciatica, Medication May Not Be the Answer

New guidelines from the UK discourage the use of medication for sciatica. What do North American spine specialists think? Find out here.

Who Treats Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia may be diagnosed and treated by your primary care doctor, rheumatologist, neurologist and/or a pain management specialist.

Coccydynia is Tailbone Pain

Coccydynia is the medical term for tailbone pain in your coccyx. Coccydynia symptoms can make sitting painful and uncomfortable.

Say What? Osteoid Osteoma of the Spine

Osteoid osteoma is a fancy term for small, benign, bonelike tumors that can grow on the spine (among other areas). Although they’re not cancerous, they can cause pain and abnormal spine curves. Here’s how to get rid of them.

Don’t Lose Muscle Mass When You Have Chronic Back Pain

Sarcopenia—losing muscle mass—and back pain tend to go hand-in-hand. Our expert has tips for keeping your body fit and your back healthy in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond.

Join Our Back Pain Community

Conditions