One common cause for lower back pain can be a herniated lumbar disc or lumbar degenerative disc disease. Many times this pain would be a result of the disc material compressing the spinal nerves or spinal cord. Both of these conditions can cause sciatic like symptoms since your sciatic nerve is located in the lower back and sciatica symptoms would cause pain, numbness and tingling in the lower extremities.

While it is possible to avoid doing activities that may lead to a herniated lumbar disc, with something like lumbar degenerative disc disease it is unavoidable as it is caused by the normal degeneration of the structures in your spine that occur as we all age. As we get older these parts begin to break down from the normal wear and tear that the spine goes through daily. Keep in mind though that exercise and healthy living can decrease the rate of this degeneration so it is best to keep active and fit.

That does not mean that everyone will at some point have back pain due to a degenerative lumbar disc or even a herniated disc, as many people have these two back conditions and have no symptoms at all.

The lumbar area of your spine is known as the lower back, this region of the spine is responsible for bearing the weight of the body so these vertebrae are much larger in size then the ones above it. This larger size allows the vertebrae to support more weight than the vertebrae above it. Your lumbar area has 5 vertebrae numbered L1 thought L5.

A herniated disc occurs when the tough outer shell of the disc known as the annulus fibrous breaks or cracks open and allows the soft gel like center, the nucleus pulposus, to push out and into the spinal canal.

With lumbar degenerative disc disease these discs start to lose their flexibility, elasticity and shock absorbing properties due to the decrease in the amount of fluid that is inside the discs. This degeneration of the discs can lead to spinal instability as other areas of the spine get damaged either due to bone spurs or a thickening of the ligaments that help to support the spine.

Symptoms of a herniated lumbar disc or lumbar degenerative disc disease may be any of the following:

? Back pain

? Leg pain

? Muscle weakness

? Muscle spasms

? Back stiffness

? Pain that radiates down the legs and into your feet

? Decrease in the range of motion your back has

? Numbness or tingling

? Sciatica - pain that starts near the back or buttock and travels down the leg to the calf or into the foot

To diagnosis either condition your doctor will need to perform a physical examination and a complete medical history. They may need to use diagnostic tests such as an X-ray, CT scan or a MRI to rule out other back conditions that may be present with the same symptoms, as well as confirm the reason for your back pain.

What type of treatment you may need will depend on the cause of your back pain, your age, overall health, how severe your condition is, your lifestyle, and what you would prefer to do to treat this pain.

Lumbar spine MRI is a highly recommended scanning method for the detection of various lumbar or lower back spinal disorders. This technique employs highly sophisticated technology to produce clear and accurate images of the internal structures.

Ideal to Diagnose Lumbar Disc Abnormalities

Lumbar spine MRI is a procedure that can be recommended for all kinds of patients - the elderly, handicapped, obese and even pediatric patients. Degenerative disc problems such as sprain, strain, herniated disc or other lumbar spine problems can be detected by means of a lumbar spine MRI. These days, this method is may be sought after for disorders such as lumbar stenosis. This is a medical condition that ends up in the narrowing of the spine. Spinal arthritis, primarily seen among the aged people, is another lumbar spinal disorder that can be diagnosed through L-spine MRI.

Hi-Tech Scanning Method more Popular with Patients and Physicians

Latest technological advancements have brought forth a newer development in the area of imaging - the open AIRIS II system. Within minimum time possible, you can accomplish the entire scanning process done. The operation is completely quiet and for claustrophobic patients, the large open air gantry can potentially remove fears about the narrow tubes of the usual MRI machines. This scanning process covers large spinal areas and helps to detect the changes within the discs. Physicians can carry out the diagnosis process easily as this procedure gives detailed images of even the soft tissues.

Precautions

Lumbar spine MRI scanning cannot be performed on people having cardiac pacemakers or other metallic implants in the body. Before going for the scanning procedure, patients are advised to remove metallic objects such as ornaments, removable dental work, hairpins, and metal zippers. Otherwise, the strong magnetic field produced may interfere with these metallic objects while the scanning process is going on.

For any physical disorder, it is advisable to diagnose and treat before it becomes worse. Through lumbar spine MRI, detection and treatment of specific lower back spinal disorders is possible.