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La Grande Chiropractic Treatment of Back Pain and Related Fatty Infiltration of Paraspinal Muscles

Undoubtedly, our La Grande chronic back pain sufferers have read about associated paraspinal (multifidus, psoas, quadratus lumborum, erector spinae) muscle fatty infiltrate. These are all tied together: fatty muscle infiltration, disc degeneration, spinal stenosis, facet joint degeneration, back pain. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC addresses all of them, too, to reduce back pain, strengthen the spine, and enhance your quality of life.

WHAT IS PARASPINAL MUSCLE FATTY INFILTRATE?

Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate is the growth of fat within the tissue of the muscles found near the spine, the paraspinal muscles. This condition may be triggered by aging or genetics although it can also be prompted by lifestyle factors such as poor nutrition or lack of exercise. This condition doesn’t always provoke symptoms, but if it does, they can involve low back pain and associated stiffness in the lower back and legs or difficulty walking because of gait disturbances. Intervertebral disc degeneration is a well-known culprit of chronic back pain, disc inflammation, and even spinal stability. Strong, effective paraspinal muscles assist spinal stability. With back pain comes fatty infiltration of the paraspinal muscles that interfere with stability. (1) Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC tests for these issues thoroughly during the chiropractic examination with an understanding of this the possible connection.

THE BACK PAIN AND WEAK PARASPINAL MUSCLE CONNECTION

A recent study concluded that disc degeneration and paraspinal muscle weakness were strongly correlated, facet joint degeneration and paraspinal muscle weakness were weakly correlated, and facet joint degeneration and disc degeneration were strongly correlated. The researchers noted that the amount of paraspinal muscle weakness rose with level of lumbar disc degeneration and facet joint degeneration while fatty infiltration of the multifidus paraspinal muscle was vulnerable to weight. (2) Further, the published literature on the extent to which low back pain and fatty infiltration of multifidus and other paraspinal muscles (erector spinae, psoas, quadratus lumborum) impacted each other was somewhat conflicting – which comes first (pain or fatty infiltrate), can fatty infiltrate be reversed, is one predictive of the other (back pain that there is fatty infiltrate or fatty infiltrate that points to future back pain)? (3) Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC keeps abreast of published research and encourages our back pain patients to improve the muscles that they can so that they can support the spine in healing and preventing more episodes of pain as best as possible.

CHIROPRACTIC CARE OF BACK PAIN AND MUSCLE WEAKNESS

Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC realizes that low back pain patients don’t just experience pain; they also get to experience muscle quality loss due to more fatty infiltration of the paraspinal muscles. The extent of muscle loss is highly correlated with the severity of the back pain and related dysfunction. (4) That’s the reason that rehabilitation is so important in addition to treatment of back pain for pain relief and prevention. Using The Cox Technic System of Spinal Pain Management in addition to other chiropractic services, nutrition and exercise, Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC is here to help! While researchers are still analyzing whether fatty infiltration is reversible, Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC sees the effort to tone and strengthen a worthy effort.

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr.  Kurt Olding on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes the multitude of options open to back pain sufferers regarding healthcare providers and emphasizes the benefit of being under the care of a chiropractor trained in the protocols of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

CONTACT Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC

Make your La Grande chiropractic visit to address your back pain and weakened paraspinal muscles. Relief and a better quality of life are in your future!

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"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."