<h3>There can be many causes of back pain including accidents, strains,  and injuries. Two types of back injury are spondylolisthesis and  cervical radiculopathy. Both have their own set of symptoms, causes, and  treatments.</h3>
The spine, or backbone, is made up of a column of 33 bones and  tissue extending from the skull to the pelvis. These bones, or vertebrae,  enclose and protect a cylinder of nerve tissues known as the spinal cord. Between  each one of the vertebra is an intervertebral disk, or band of cartilage serving  as a shock absorber between the vertebrae. The types of vertebrae are:
<ul>
	<li> <strong>Cervical vertebrae:</strong> the seven vertebrae forming  the upper part of the spine</li>
	<li> <strong>Thoracic vertebrae:</strong> the 12 bones between the  neck and the lower back</li>
	<li> <strong>Lumbar vertebrae:</strong> the five largest and  strongest vertebrae located in the lower back between the chest and hips</li>
	<li>The <strong>sacrum</strong> and <strong>coccyx</strong> are  the bones at the base of the spine. The sacrum is made up of five vertebrae fused  together, while the coccyx (tailbone) is formed from four fused vertebrae.</li>
</ul>
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<strong> <a onclick="return sl(this,'','embd-lnk');" href="http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/slideshow-back-pain-myths"> Learn The Truth About Back Pain Causes and Treatments</a> </strong>

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<h3>What Causes Back Pain?</h3>
The causes of <a onclick="return sl(this,'','embd-lnk');" href="http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/default.htm">back pain</a> can be complex. Some causes of back pain include accidents,  muscle strains, and sports injuries.
<h3>How Is Back Pain Diagnosed?</h3>
In addition to performing a complete history and physical exam  for your back pain, your doctor may suggest one of the following diagnostic studies:
<ul>
	<li> <strong>X-rays</strong>, which can be used to provide detail of  the bone structures in the spine and to check for instability (such as spondylolisthesis, see below), tumors, and <a onclick="return sl(this,'','embd-lnk');" href="http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/understanding-fractures-basic-information">fractures</a>.</li>
	<li> <strong>CT scans</strong>, which can identify specific  conditions, such as a herniated disc or spinal stenosis.</li>
	<li> <strong> <a onclick="return sl(this,'','embd-lnk');" href="http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/magnetic-resonance-imaging-mri">MRI</a> </strong> <strong>scans</strong>, which can provide details about the backs' discs and nerve roots. MRI scans are most commonly used for pre-surgical planning.</li>
	<li> <strong>CT scans</strong>, which can identify specific conditions, such as  a herniated disc or spinal stenosis.</li>
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A number of other imaging and electrical studies may also be used  to identify back problems, and some injections are used for diagnostic  purposes as well as for pain relief.
<h3>Types of Back Injury</h3>
Two main types of back injury include:
<ul>
	<li> <strong>Spondylolisthesis:</strong> This is a slipping of  vertebra that occurs, in most cases, at the base of the spine. Spondylolysis, which is  a defect or facture of one or both wing-shaped parts of a vertebra, can  result in vertebrae slipping backward, forward, or over a bone below.</li>
	<li> <strong>Cervical Radiculopathy:</strong> Cervical radiculopathy  is the damage or disturbance of nerve function that results if one of the nerve  roots near the cervical vertebrae is compressed. Damage to nerve roots in the cervical area can <a onclick="return sl(this,'','embd-lnk');" href="http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/pain-management-overview-facts">cause pain</a> and the loss of sensation in various upper extremities,  depending on where the damaged roots are located.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Causes of Spondylolithesis</h3>
There are many causes for spondylolithesis. A vertebra might be  defective from the time a person is born, or a vertebra may be broken by trauma or  a stress fracture. In addition, vertebrae can be broken down by infection  or disease. Most commonly, this disorder occurs in children and adolescents  who are active in sports.
<h3>Symptoms of Spondylolithesis</h3>
Symptoms of spondylolithesis include:
<ul>
	<li>Lower back pain</li>
	<li>Muscle tightness and stiffness</li>
	<li>Pain in the buttocks</li>
	<li>Pain radiating down the legs (due to pressure on nerve roots)</li>
</ul>
<h3>Spondylolithesis Treatments</h3>
Spondylolisthesis is treated with the strengthening of supportive  abdominal and back muscles through <a onclick="return sl(this,'','embd-lnk');" href="http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/physical-therapy"> physical therapy</a>. For patients who continue to have severe pain and disability after physical therapy, there is the option of surgical  fusion (<a onclick="return sl(this,'','embd-lnk');" href="http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/spinal-fusion-for-scoliosis">arthrodesis</a>) of the  vertebra to the bone below.
<h3>Causes of Cervical Radiculopathy</h3>
In cervical radiculopathy, damage can occur as a result of  pressure from material from a ruptured disc, degenerative changes in bones, arthritis,  or other injuries that put pressure on the nerve roots. In older people,  normal degenerative changes in the discs can cause pressure on nerve roots. In  younger people, cervical radiculopathy tends to be the result of a ruptured  disc. This disc material then compresses the nerve root, causing pain.
<h3>Symptoms of Cervical Radiculopathy</h3>
The main symptom of cervical radiculopathy is pain that spreads  into the arm, neck, chest, and/or shoulders. A person with radiculopathy may  experience muscle weakness and/or numbness or tingling in fingers or hands. Other  symptoms may include lack of coordination, especially in the hands.
<h3>Cervical Radiculopathy Treatment</h3>
Cervical radiculopathy may be treated with a combination of pain  medications such as corticosteroids (powerful anti-inflammatory drugs) or  non-steroidal pain medication (Motrin or Aleve) and physical therapy. Steroids may be prescribed either orally or injected epidurally (into the dura, which is  the membrane that surrounds the spinal cord).

Physical therapy might include gentle cervical traction and  mobilization, exercises, and other modalities to reduce pain.

If significant compression on the nerve exists to the extent that  motor weakness results, surgery may be necessary to relieve the pressure.

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