Your backbone, or spine, is made up of 26 bone discs called vertebrae. The vertebrae protect your spinal cord and allow you to stand and bend. A number of problems can change the structure of the spine or damage the vertebrae and surrounding tissue. They include
- Infections
- Injuries
- Tumors
- Conditions, such as ankylosing spondylitis and scoliosis
- Bone changes that come with age, such as spinal stenosis and herniated disks
Spinal diseases often cause pain when bone changes put pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. They can also limit movement. Treatments differ by disease, but sometimes they include back braces and surgery.
- Form Identifies Spinal Patients Likely to Stick with Therapy(10/05/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_70056.html
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Chronic Back Pain(DSHI Systems) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.freemd.com/chronic-back-pain/visit-virtual-doctor.htm
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Computed Tomography (CT): Spine(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=spinect
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=spinect
- Discography(North American Spine Society) - Links to PDF - http://www.spine.org/Documents/discography_2006.pdf
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Electrodiagnostic Testing(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00270
Also available in Spanish http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00490
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Glossary of Orthopaedic Diagnostic Tests(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00272
Also available in Spanish http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00492
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MRI of the Spine(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=spinemr
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=spinemr
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Myelogram
(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/myelogram/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/myelogramspanish/htm/index.htm - Spine X-Ray(Cleveland Clinic Foundation) - http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/x-ray/hic_spine_x-ray.aspx
- Artificial Discs(North American Spine Society) - Links to PDF - http://www.spine.org/Documents/artificial_disc_2006.pdf
- Back Surgery: When Is It a Good Idea?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/back-surgery/HQ00305/METHOD=print
- Epidural Injections(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?PG=epidural
- Laminectomy or Laminotomy(North American Spine Society) - http://www.spine.org/Pages/ConsumerHealth/SpineConditionsAndTreatments/CommonProblemsCorrectiveActions/CommonSurgicalProcedures/LaminectomyorLaminotomy.aspx
- Laparoscopic Spine Surgery(Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons) - http://www.sages.org/publications/publication.php?id=PI03
- Lumbar Zygapophysial (Facet) Joint Injections(North American Spine Society) - Links to PDF - http://www.spine.org/Documents/facet_joint_2006.pdf
- Open Discectomy(North American Spine Society) - Links to PDF - http://www.spine.org/Documents/open_discectomy_2006.pdf
- Spinal Fusion(North American Spine Society) - Links to PDF - http://www.spine.org/Documents/fusion_2006.pdf
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Vertebroplasty for Spine Fracture Pain(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/articles/748.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/articles/748.printerview.html
- Adult Isthmic Spondylolisthesis (Slipped Vertebra)(North American Spine Society) - Links to PDF - http://www.spine.org/Documents/spondy_2006.pdf
- Degenerative Changes in the Spine: Is It Arthritis?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/arthritis/AN00124/METHOD=print
- Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH)(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/diffuse-idiopathic-skeletal-hyperostosis/DS00740/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Fracture of the Thoracic and Lumbar Spine(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00368&return_link=0
- Kyphosis (Roundback) of the Spine(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00423
- Spinal Tumor(North American Spine Society) - Links to PDF - http://www.spine.org/Documents/SpinalTumors2006.pdf
- Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00053
- Whiplash and Whiplash Associated Disorders(North American Spine Society) - Links to PDF - http://www.spine.org/Documents/whiplash_2006.pdf
- Spinal Infections(North American Spine Society) - Links to PDF - http://www.spine.org/Documents/SpinalInfections2006.pdf
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Myelogram(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/myelogram/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/myelogramspanish/htm/index.htm
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Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion Procedure(OR-Live) - Requires Flash Player - One hour program - 5/14/2008 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/nlm-flash/tag_2330/rnh.cfm?id=737
- Lumbar Laminectomy and Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion(OR-Live) - Requires media player - One hour program - 11/15/2006 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM/rnh.cfm?id=370
- Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion(OR-Live) - Requires media player - One hour program - 12/05/2006 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM/rnh.cfm?id=383
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Percutaneous Stabilization for Lower Back Pain(OR-Live) - Requires media player - One hour program - 4/25/2007 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM/rnh.cfm?id=423
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Spinal Microdiscectomy(OR-Live) - Requires Flash Player - One hour program - 5/13/2008 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/nlm-flash/stm_2088/rnh.cfm?id=729
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Two-Level L4-L5-S1 Minimally Invasive Spinal Fusion Surgery(OR-Live) - Requires Flash Player - One hour program - 5/08/2008 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/nlm-flash/tra_2459/rnh.cfm?id=745
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Vertical Expandable Prosthetic Titanium Rib Procedure(OR-Live) - Requires media player - One hour program - 11/01/2006 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM/rnh.cfm?id=368
- Anatomy of the Spine(National Pain Foundation) - http://www.nationalpainfoundation.org/MyTreatment/articles/BackAndNeck_Part_2.asp
- Spinal Column(North American Spine Society) - http://www.spine.org/Pages/ConsumerHealth/SpineConditionsAndTreatments/Anatomy/Default.aspx
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Kyphosis
(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Kyphosis%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Spinal Diseases(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Spinal+Diseases%22
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Spondylolisthesis(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Spondylolisthesis%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Use of a postoperative lumbar corset after lumbar spinal arthrodesis... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18829902&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Defining substantial clinical benefit following lumbar spine arthrodesis. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18762642&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Biological treatment for degenerative disc disease: implications for the field... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18716481&tool=MedlinePlus
- Spinal Diseases -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=spinal+diseases[majr:noexp]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt]+OR+news[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Glossary of Orthopaedic Words(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/glossary.cfm
- Glossary of Terms(North American Spine Society) - http://www.spine.org/Pages/ConsumerHealth/SpineConditionsAndTreatments/GlossaryTerms/Default.aspx
- Find an Orthopaedist(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://www6.aaos.org/about/public/members.cfm
- Spine Care Provider Search(North American Spine Society) - http://www.spine.org/Pages/ConsumerHealth/SpineCareProviderSearch/Default.aspx
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons - http://www.aaos.org/
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National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - http://www.niams.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://www.niams.nih.gov/Portal_En_Espanol/
- Kyphosis(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site1102/mainpageS1102P0.html
- Lordosis(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site1095/mainpageS1095P0.html
- Spinal Fracture(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site1114/mainpageS1114P0.html
- Ankylosing Spondylitis - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ankylosingspondylitis.html
- Herniated Disk - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/herniateddisk.html
- Scoliosis - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/scoliosis.html
- Spinal Stenosis - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spinalstenosis.html
- Tailbone Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tailbonedisorders.html
- Bones, Joints and Muscles - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bonesjointsandmuscles.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Spinal Diseases is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - http://www.niams.nih.gov/