Medically reviewed by Jennifer Steinhoff, MD Key Takeaways The thoracic spine is made up of 12 bones that attach to your ribs and support your rib cage.Excessive curvature in the thoracic spine, ...

The vertebral column’s most important physiologic function is protecting the spinal cord, which is the main avenue for communication between the brain and the rest of the body. The spinal cord is ...

The obturator nerve is a large, multibranched nerve that travels through your pelvis to your inner thigh. This nerve helps you feel sensations like temperature and pain in your lower limbs. It also ...

Spinal stenosis refers to narrowing of the vertebral or spinal canal which encloses the spinal cord and spinal nerves. It may result in compression of these nerves leading to pain, numbness, tingling ...

A herniated disc can pinch a nerve, which causes pain, numbness, or weakness in your lower back and legs. Diagnosing a ...

A pinched nerve in the spinal region is a common yet often misunderstood condition that affects a significant portion of the population at some point in their lives. This condition not only causes ...

Various nerves control bladder and bowel function, including the spinal cord, cauda equina, pudendal nerves, and the enteric nervous system, a nerve network in the walls of the digestive tract. These ...

What is spinal cord compression? Spinal cord compression happens when pressure on the spinal cord stops the nerves working normally. This can cause back pain and other symptoms such as arm or leg ...

Lumbar spinal stenosis is one of the most common drivers of back-and-leg pain in adults over 50, and it’s the top reason ...

Spinal stenosis occurs when the spaces in your spine narrow, whether from aging, injury, or a medical condition. You may have pain, weakness, or other symptoms if the spinal cord is compressed. The ...