Where is l3 vertebrae

L3 Vertebra Conditions and Injuries There are a range of spinal injuries that can affect or be caused by the L3 vertebra. Treating L3 Injuries and Back Pain Your best bet to seek treatment for an L3 vertebra injury is to talk with a local chiropractor.

Newsletter Sign Up! Office Hours Our General Schedule. Monday: am - pm pm - pm. Tuesday: am - pm pm - pm. Wednesday: pm - pm. See Lumbar Spine Anatomy and Pain. See Degenerative Spondylolisthesis. Rarely, tumors and infections may affect the L3-L4 motion segment. Read more about Lumbar Radiculopathy. An injury to the cauda equina is called cauda equina syndrome. Immediate medical attention is crucial in this condition to preserve leg function.

See Cauda Equina Syndrome. These sections are labelled as the L1-L5 vertebrae. These vertebrae are located near the base of the spine and naturally form a slight outward curve in the back, just below the inward curve of the thoracic spine. The lumbar vertebrae function to contain and protect the end of the spinal cord, as well as support the weight of the torso.

The L1 vertebra is the topmost section of the lumbar spinal column. This section of the spine contains a portion of the spinal cord.

The L2 vertebra contains the end of the spinal cord proper—all other spinal vertebrae below this point only have spinal nerves, not the spinal cord. Injuries to the L2 vertebra can have effects similar to an L1 injury reduced hip flexion, paraplegia, and numbness. This is the middle vertebra of the lumbar spine, and the first vertebra to not contain a section of the spinal cord. The second to last section of the lumbar spinal column. While injuries to the L4 vertebra tend to be less severe than injuries to the spinal cord proper, symptoms include an inability to bend the feet in a particular direction.

The L5 vertebra is the final section of the lumbar spine at least, it is for most people. Injury to the L5 spinal nerve bundle can cause numbness and weakness in the legs, but the extent of these symptoms can vary from case to case.

While most people have only five lumbar vertebrae, there are cases where someone could have an extra lumbar vertebra. This is called lumbarization.

It is usually the result of the first and second parts of the sacrum failing to fuse, creating an extra bone in the spinal column. In the majority of cases, this condition is harmless. However, some people who live with lumbarization may experience lower back pain without knowing why, or may be more prone to herniated discs in their spine.

Early treatment is important to the prognosis of lumbar spinal cord damage. Patients with a lumbar spinal cord injury can be independent and care for their own mobility and hygienic needs. Many patients are able to maneuver around in their manual wheelchair and may even be able to walk for short distances. Weakness is the main issue with patients who experience lumbar nerve injuries, so physical therapy is a must in the recovery phase.

Cauda Equina Syndrome CES , which is often difficult to distinguish from the similarly-located conus medullaris syndrome, affects the lumbar spine and is considered a medical emergency. CES affects the nerves of the lumbar spine, which may cause incontinence and potentially permanent paralysis of the legs.

Where lumbarization is the presence of an extra bone in the lumbar spinal column due to the failure of the first and second sacral spine to fuse, sacralization is the fusing of the L5 vertebra with the sacral spine. The body reacts to the increased load by laying down more bone to reinforce the vertebrae.

In some cases, the extra bone can narrow and exert pressure on the spinal cord central stenosis or exiting nerve roots lateral stenosis. In the spine, facet joints link the vertebrae and are important for preventing excessive rotational and twisting forces which would damage the discs. They also share some of the load bearing of the spine. When there is a loss of mobility in the spine, the facet joints bear a greater load than normal. This is particularly the case if there is some imbalance in the body and one side of the spine takes more strain than the other.

Imbalance in weight distribution not only adds to the stress borne by the facets but effectively deteriorates bone and cartilage. Constant movement on these worn structures activates an inflammatory reaction to the joint which is full of nerve endings. The result is chronic pain as the body continuously sends pain signals to the brain.

Just like the vertebra the body reacts to the increased load on the facet joints by laying down more bone in the joint margins this is called facet joint arthropathy. In some cases, the extra bone can narrow the gap where the nerves exit the spine and if the bone pinches against the bone, it can cause nerve root irritation or a trapped nerve causing lateral stenosis or pressure on the nerve as it departs the spinal cord.

Disc degeneration is common in the neck cervical spine and lower back lumbar spine. This is because these areas of the spine undergo the most movement and stress and are subsequently most susceptible to disc degeneration as these bear much of our weight. Degenerative disc disease refers to symptoms in the neck pain this can refer to the shoulder caused by wear-and-tear on a spinal disc.

In some cases, degenerative disc disease also causes weakness, numbness, and hot, shooting pains in the arms and shoulder radicular pain. Degenerative disc disease typically consists of a low-level chronic pain with intermittent episodes of more severe pain.

The discs are made of a compressible inner nucleus nucleus pulposus that deforms under load as seen below and an outer fibrous wall anulus fibrosus made of collagen. The spongy intervertebral discs absorb shocks and pressure from the load of our bodies and squash as we lean or bend in any direction.