Pain Conditions

Evidence-based information on common pain conditions, their causes, symptoms, and treatment approaches.

Spine & Back

Sciatica

Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, from the lower back through the hips and buttocks and down the leg. It typically affects one side of the body and is caused by compression of the sciatic nerve roots (L4-S3), most commonly from a lumbar disc herniation or foraminal stenosis.

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a narrowing of the spinal canal, lateral recesses, or neural foramina in the lumbar spine that results in compression of neural structures. It is the most common reason for spinal surgery in adults over 65 and is typically caused by degenerative changes including disc bulging, facet joint hypertrophy, and ligamentum flavum thickening.

Cervical Radiculopathy

Cervical radiculopathy is pain, numbness, or weakness caused by compression or irritation of a cervical nerve root. It most commonly results from disc herniation or foraminal stenosis and typically affects the C6 or C7 nerve roots.

Facet Joint Syndrome

Facet joint syndrome (zygapophyseal joint syndrome) is pain arising from the facet joints of the spine due to degenerative changes, injury, or inflammation. It is a common cause of chronic spinal pain and is diagnosed clinically and confirmed with diagnostic medial branch blocks.

Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction refers to pain originating from the sacroiliac joint complex, a common but often underdiagnosed cause of low back and buttock pain. The SI joint transmits forces between the spine and lower extremities and can become painful through inflammatory, degenerative, or traumatic mechanisms.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a form of chronic pain that usually affects an arm or leg and typically develops after an injury, surgery, stroke, or heart attack. The pain is out of proportion to the severity of the initial injury and is characterized by autonomic, sensory, and motor dysfunction.

Trigeminal Neuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a chronic pain condition affecting the trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V), which carries sensation from the face to the brain. It causes sudden, severe, brief, stabbing, recurrent episodes of facial pain, typically in the distribution of one or more branches of the trigeminal nerve.

Knee Osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder worldwide and the leading cause of disability in older adults. It involves progressive loss of articular cartilage, subchondral bone remodeling, synovial inflammation, and osteophyte formation in the knee joint.