Spinecare Topics

  • By: ISA Content Team
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Understanding Back Pain
Referred Pain of Visceral Origin

Many theories have been proposed in an attempt to explain the underlying reason for visceral referred pain. The mechanisms leading to referred pain are fairly complex representing different contributing factors.  It is widely accepted that there are numerous pathways within the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) that converge and carry (transmit) pain messages from the organs, skin and underlying musculoskeletal tissues such as tendons and muscles. This leads to a sort of “cross talkâ€? between the various systems within the central nervous system. Subsequently, the brain may interpret pain arising from an area other than the actual source. Sometimes pain associated with a spine disorder and an internal disorder will coexist and overlap.  For example, an individual may experience mid back pain secondary to spinal arthritis and degenerative disc disease while also experiencing referred pain to the mid-back secondary to underlying heart disease. Neck or back pain with a complicated origin may require an integrated multi-specialty diagnostic workup. 

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To learn more about your spine. spinehealth, and available spinecare go to the International Spine Assocition (ISA) at www.spineinformation.org. The primary mission of the ISA is to improve spinehealth and spinecare through education. The ISA is committed to disseminating need-to-know information throught the World Wide Web in numerous languages covering many topics related to the spine, including information about spine disorders, spine heath, advances in technology and available spinecare



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