Oh, My Aching Back!

It is not uncommon to go to the doctor with a backache only to leave with a diagnosis of lower back pain or upper back pain. We are frequently told it is likely due to strain, sprain, or arthritis. The diagnosis may be based upon a physical exam or an x-ray.

Like a rusty door hinge the bones in the spine may become rough and irregular. In addition the discs (jelly-like donuts that act like cushions between the bones) can lose their fullness. Doctors refer to this as degenerative disc disease (arthritis for short). The result is that the space between the bones decreases. This lack of space can lead to more arthritis of the bones themselves.

Hypermobility Syndrome, or weak ligaments and flexible joints, can cause chronic aches and pains. Like most diseases hypermobility syndrome can have mild or severe presentations. Many people may simply be predisposed to ankle sprains and weak ligaments. Others may describe themselves as double jointed or an accident waiting to happen. Marfans and Ehlers Danlos Syndromes are names for more severe forms of the disease however there is no universal agreement that they are the same thing.

One of the classic signs of Hypermobility Syndrome is joints that move beyond their normal expected range. Thumbs can bend back to touch the forearm, the little finger may bend back more than 90 degrees, and there can be hyper-extensible elbows and knees. Patients with Hypermobility Syndrome can often bend over and can touch their hands flat on the ground. They may have tall parents and often the fathers have a high arched palate.