Spinal Abnormalities

Spinal abnormalities are conditions in the spine that are considered atypical or unusual. This is ironic since most irregularities in the spine are a completely normal and universal part of the aging process. Life creates variations and diversity and the spine is not immune to these laws. The simple processes involved in anatomical movement and getting older have degenerative effects on all the spinal structures. These changes are not abnormal in any way.

Types of Spinal Abnormalities

There are many structural changes which may be considered abnormal:

* Herniated Discs are an irregular phenomenon according to medical science. Disc herniations are extremely common, especially in the lumbar and cervical regions of the spine. Herniated discs are often caused by other completely normal degenerative processes.

* Degenerative Disc Disease. is NOT a disease at all. It is a normal part of life. Discs naturally lose moisture and shrink as we age. This sometimes creates the perfect scenario for a herniation to occur. These 2 conditions often exist simultaneously in the same patient, at the same vertebral levels.

* Spinal Arthritis is also a normal part of aging. Cartilage and synovial joint breakdown is normal throughout the body. It can cause some aches and pains, but is rarely to blame for severe chronic back pain. It is not abnormal to have evidence of arthritis or facet joint syndrome and not even know it. Almost everyone develops the physical manifestations of the condition, but only a minority develop associated symptoms.

* Mild to Moderate Spinal Curvature such as scoliosis, lordosis and kyphosis are rarely to blame for any significant back pain. These conditions may be atypical, but they are still quite common.

Theory on Spinal Abnormalities

Doctors usually trace all pain back to an anatomical causation. Unfortunately, many patients have severe pain with no obvious physical reason for the symptoms. In these cases, the physician needs to diagnose something, so the most common practice is to locate a spinal irregularity in the approximate region of the pain and blame that structure for the symptoms. The symptoms do not usually match up to the diagnosis exactly, but the patient will never know�

While severely irregular spinal conditions CAN produce pain, these examples are the gross exception to the rule. Most patients diagnosed with these common spinal conditions have mild to moderate degrees of degeneration which fall within the perfectly acceptable range for people of their age and condition. Most chronic pain conditions have nothing at all to do with anything physical and are only connected to the diagnosed abnormality by the nocebo effect of the actual diagnosis!!!

Recommendation on Spinal Abnormalities

My spine is full of these "abnormal" back pain scapegoat conditions. I have degenerated discs, herniated discs, scoliosis and the beginning of arthritis. For 18 years, these conditions were blamed for my horrible acute and chronic back pain. Of course I believed the doctors who diagnosed me�THEY ARE DOCTORS� THEY MUST KNOW THE TRUTH. Well after trying everything, (including the kitchen sink) to cure my back pain, I realized that these guys don�t know anything about what was really going on inside my spine. I learned that there was an alternate and far more logical explanation for my chronic pain. I was actually suffering from psychological back pain all along. My spinal abnormalities had NOTHING AT ALL to do with my pain. It did not take me long to repudiate the incorrect diagnoses I had received and cure my own pain, all by myself!!!

I am now pain free. Most patients do not want to let go of the blame placed on their degenerated spines.

�OH, I am really hurt. I have�(insert diagnosis here)�

THIS IS WHAT I HEAR EVERYDAY. Some people do not want to learn the truth. They rather hold on to their diagnosis. They rather hold on to the blame. They rather hold on to their PAIN!

Well, not me. I like being free from a life of pain. If you want to end your pain also, learn more about how knowledge therapy can set you free as well�

Spinal Abnormalities to Back Pain Home page 6/29/07 Revised 6/16/08