Imagine you’re an early human in ancient times, sitting around a bonfire next to a river, grilling meat with the family. The sun is setting and it’s quiet. Suddenly, an ancient alligator comes flying out of the river on the attack! What happens in your body? First, you...
Ligament Damage Ligaments attach bone to bone. Although ligaments are strong and rigid by nature, strains and sudden forces can cause them to rupture and tear. Ligament damage is caused when the fibers become torn, and the severity depends on the extent to which they have...
Failed Back Syndrome Failed back syndrome (FBS), also called “failed back surgery syndrome”, refers to chronic back and/or leg pain that occurs after back (spinal) surgery, usually after laminectomy. It is characterized as a chronic pain syndrome. Multiple factors can contribute to the onset or development...
Spondylolisthesis Spondylolisthesis is a relatively common condition (up to 6% of people have it) affecting the low back. It occurs when one of your vertebrae slides forward on the vertebra below. You lose the normal alignment of the spinal column because you’ve lost the integrity of...
Myofascitis Myofascitis is a painful condition that affects the muscles and the sheath of the tissue, called fascia. Fascia is soft stretchy connective tissue that acts like a saran wrap covering over muscle fibers, major muscle groups and organs. This pain syndrome causes chronic pain in...
If you place your hand on your face, right in front of your ear lobes, open and close your mouth, you can feel your temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which connects your upper and lower jaw. Many American experience some sort of TMJ pain or even temporomandibular disorder...
Scoliosis Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine that occurs most often during the growth spurt just before puberty. While it can be caused by conditions such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy, the cause of most is unknown. Most cases are mild, but some...
Carpal Tunnel Carpal Tunnel syndrome is a repetitive stress injury. This category of injury is caused by repetitive motion, such as typing or assembly line work, which causes pain and injury over time. This condition includes numbness, tingling, weakness, and other problems in your hand because...
Hip Pain There are many reasons for having hip pain; one of the most common reasons is referred pain from the back. Osteoarthritis of the hip joint is a problem affecting mainly older people and is the most common disease affecting the hip joint, with 25%...
Neck Pain Most episodes of neck pain are due to a muscle strain or other soft tissue sprain (ligaments, tendons), spinal misalignment, or atlas misalignment. This type of injury can also be caused by a sudden force (whiplash). These types of pain often improve with time and...
Degenerative Joint Disease Degenerative joint disease is also known as osteoarthritis. Bony spurs can develop as the spine degenerates. This happens when the cartilage becomes rough and worn out, causing the joints to rub against each other, creating inflammation, pain, stiffness, loss of motion and ultimately...
Fibromyalgia Although there is no consensus on its cause, fibromyalgia appears to be both an inflammatory condition and a neuromuscular condition – meaning that it involves both the body and the brain. It appears to begin by inflammation of the fibrous tissue that surrounds muscles and...