The aches and pain in the spine might send you to a spine doctor. However, do you know you might develop subtle symptoms which indicate issues with the spine? Spinal issues may cause numbness on the hands, and feet, bowel malfunction, poor balance, and chronic back and neck pain. However, a spine doctor like Dr. Steven Ferrer can determine if your symptoms indicate a serious spinal problem. Here are reasons to see a spine doctor who can educate you on ways to identify spinal issues and prevent them.

Hand, Arm, Leg, and Feet Weakness

It is easy to overlook limb weakness and to tingle in the extremities, but the weakness might be a sign of underlying spinal conditions. The limb weakness is mostly associated with lower back pain as the nerves which connect the legs, and the brain can be compressed when an individual has a bad sitting posture or herniated spinal discs.

The nerve compression might make the foot drop, and the leg might give out when walking for an extended time. Although the weakness of the extremities might improve with time, you may need to see a spine doctor to determine if the condition is severe or not and to find the appropriate treatment.

Changes in Finger and Hand Agility

The hand and finger agility changes show issues with the upper neck and spinal vertebrae. You may have issues carrying out the simple tasks you would complete without an issue. You may find it hard to button the shirts or zip your clothes, and your hands will shake when engaging in an activity requiring precision. You may not get the thread through a needle hole the way you did due to the shaking hands. Fortunately, the spine doctor will examine the upper spine physically or with imaging technology to find the underlying issue and treat the problem effectively.

Persistent Neck and Lower Back Pain

Chronic lower back and neck pain is associated with spinal issues like herniated discs which press the nerves, and injuries that damage the soft spinal tissues. Sometimes the pain may result from osteoporosis which makes the spinal bones brittle, leading to fractures on the back. The spine doctor might offer non-surgical treatment for the neck and lower back bone treatments like epidural injections or opt for surgical intervention if the problem is beyond medicinal treatment.

Poor Spinal Alignment

Poor spinal alignment may make one shoulder appear higher than another one. It is better to see a spine doctor even if the misalignment does not make you uncomfortable. The misalignment mostly occurs due to scoliosis due to arthritis and degenerative disorders which affect the spine. It leads to an S-shape in the spinal cord leading to a bump on the back, and your spine doctor will treat it with corrective surgery

Bowel and Bladder Malfunction

Bowel malfunction is associated with poor nutrition but may occur due to spinal problems. It might result from equina cauda syndrome, which causes numbness and tingling when using the bathroom. The spine doctor will decompress the nerves in the pelvic region to alleviate bladder bad bowel malfunction.

Spinal issues can cause chronic pain, which does not subside without medical intervention. However, you can develop subtle spinal health symptoms which you might overlook. Therefore, it is better to see a spine doctor if you develop limb weakness, reduce finger and hand agility, bowel malfunction, neck pain, and back pain. Good luck finding a spine doctor who can treat the spinal issues adequately.