Skip to main content

Vertebrae of the Week: L3 Vertebra

Next up in our ongoing series about each of the bones in your spine is the L3 vertebra. The third bone down in your lumbar, or lower back area, the L3 is the central bone in this region. Like the other lumbar vertebrae, this bone carries a substantial role in bearing the weight of your torso.
Also like the other bones in your lumbar spine, this vertebra does not protect specific nerve bundles, which means that problems arising from injuries to this region present differently than in your middle or upper back. Learn about the L3 vertebra, the role it plays in your spine, and how a chiropractor in Woodbridge, VA, can help to deal with injuries and issues from this important bone.
L3 Vertebra Conditions and Injuries
There are a range of spinal injuries that can affect or be caused by the L3 vertebra. These include herniated or bulging discs, bone spurs, spondylosis, spondylolisthesis, and spinal arthritis, among others. A number of common conditions, including sports injuries, can result in spinal compression injuries.
When a spinal condition occurs at the L3 level, the symptoms usually include radiating pain from the lower back through the buttock and leg of the affected side. Chronic lower back pain also generally results. The leg and foot of the affected side can also develop numbness and weakness from impacted nerve communication.
Treating L3 Injuries and Back Pain
Your best bet to seek treatment for an L3 vertebra injury is to talk with a local chiropractor. For almost a decade, now, ACT Wellness has been the leading chiropractor in Woodbridge, VA. We’re ready to tackle any problems you’re having with back pain in any region, and get you feeling healthy and well again. Contact us today to get back on the path to living a happy, strong and healthy life without pain and without invasive procedures.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Vertebrae of the Week: Review of Your Lumbar Region Vertebrae

Over the past few weeks we’ve explored the lumbar, or lower back, vertebrae. While these don’t protect root nerve bundles like your upper and middle spine, they do bear the weight of almost your entire back above them. They also do protect the largest nerve in your body, the sciatic nerve. They are, as such, particularly vulnerable to compression injuries and various conditions related to age, wear and tear. Let’s take a look at each of the lumbar region vertebrae, from the top L1 vertebra through the lowest L5 vertebra, see what function each has, and the dangers of injury for each. L1 Vertebra The L1 vertebra is the highest bone in your lumbar region. It is what is known as a “transitional” vertebra, serving as the point where your thoracic region becomes the lumbar. Injuries to the L1 region are most often related to compression issues, with one of the most common being spondylolisthesis. L2 Vertebra Next down in your spine is the L2 vertebra. At this level, we see in...

More Than a Chiropractor: Services for Health and Wellness

When people hear the term “chiropractor,” they tend to think of a healthcare professional who adjusts the back. Despite the growing awareness of the role chiropractic can play in the overall health and wellness of patients, this unfortunate generalization persists today. In truth, chiropractors do a lot more than just adjust the spine, though that is the core of the health and wellness services they provide. Your spine is the center of your body’s function. It is the conduit through which your brain communicates with the rest of your body, all the way to your fingers and toes, through your circulatory system, your digestive system and to other parts of your body. By keeping your spine in proper alignment, a chiropractor allows your body to function at peak performance levels. Chiropractic wellness services , then, take a “whole body” approach to holistic health and healing. By making the right choices, removing toxins from your body and, of course, correcting spinal subluxations...

T12 Vertebra

The T12, or twelfth thoracic vertebra is the largest of all your thoracic vertebrae, and is the lowermost in the back. It’s designed to bear the weight of your spine, and is the strongest of all vertebrae in the region, but it’s also the most prone to injuries from stress. It’s a sort of hybrid that possesses the features of a thoracic and a lumbar vertebra. The region of your spinal cord protected by this vertebra controls your abdominal muscles, lower back, stability and support. Unfortunately, pain from a T12 injury can be tricky to diagnose as it can radiate to other areas of your body and not be centered where the injury actually is. Injuries to the T12 Vertebra Injuries to the T12 vertebra can result in pain in the back, around your rib cage, in your abdominal muscles, or even radiating down into your legs. It’s important to have the injury properly diagnosed, as certain conditions including cancer, infection and even scoliosis can result in similar symptoms. How a Ch...