Common Lumbar Spine Conditions Impacting the Lower Back

Practicing in Crystal River, Florida, Constantine Toumbis, MD, offers patient-focused care at the Citrus Spine Institute. In his capacity at Citrus Memorial Hospital, Constantine Toumbis, MD, has extensive knowledge of the spine and how it relates to low back issues. 

The various lumbar spine conditions tend to be interrelated, with muscle issues such as strain related to repetitive use, bending, and heavy lifting. While they can cause extreme pain, muscle strains tend to get better within days or weeks of proper rest. 

A more serious issue involves degenerated discs, where the spongy “shock absorbers” that separate each vertebrae within the spine experience wear and tear and displacement that results in pain within the disc space. The lower back is where most disc herniations occur, with the intense pain causing damage cumulatively, with time, or all at once. A major symptom of the latter event, which may require surgical intervention, is sciatica, or leg pain that persists.

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