Pain is not a specific symptom of any one disease or medical condition. The human spine is composed of many different anatomical structures, including bones, cartilage, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, each of which has nerve endings that can detect painful disorders when they occur.

These structures are normally well balanced and able to handle all of the movements, stresses, and strains of the body gracefully. When these different parts of the spine are injured or start to wear out, however, your spine can be a significant source of pain and discomfort. Pain, and other symptoms originating in the spine, vary depending on the anatomical location of the underlying condition (or cause).

Developmental conditions of the spine are caused by abnormalities in the formation and growth of the skeleton. Scoliosis and Scheuermann's kyphosis are two examples of developmental conditions that affect the adult spine.

Mechanical conditions, such as muscle strains, occur when an anatomical structure in the spine fails to maintain its normal structure and/or function as a result of wear and tear (e.g., degeneration or structural damage). Disc degeneration, disc herniation, strains, sprains, facet arthropathy, stenosis, myelopathy, spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis, and failed back syndrome are all examples of mechanical conditions that affect the adult spine.

Inflammatory conditions include arthritis and any condition where inflammation causes pain in the joints of the spine. Inflammation is a body's natural response to tissue irritation or damage, and it can cause swelling, redness, heat, and loss of function. Inflammation of a joint is called arthritis and can be confined to a small part of the body, such as a single joint, or it may be wide-spread, as occurs with rheumatoid arthritis. Inflammation can become chronic and persistent. Infections of the spinal column are not common, but serious, nonetheless, because, if one remains undiagnosed for a long period of time, a bone and/or joint infection can be crippling or even life-threatening. Ankylosing spondylitis, discitis, osteoporosis, sacroiliitis, and arachnoiditis are all examples of inflammatory and infectious conditions that affect the adult spine.

Vascular conditions occur when the vessels that circulate the blood supply for the anatomical structures of the spine are obstructed (pinched or blocked) and, as a result, they fail to maintain their normal structure and/or function. Vascular claudication - a limp and/or lameness in a person's walk - and paresthesia are two examples of vascular conditions that affect the adult spine.

Spinal trauma refers to any injury that has occurred to bony elements, soft tissues (muscles and ligaments) and/or neurological structures of the spine. Fractures, ligamentous injuries, and muscular injuries are all example of spinal trauma.

Although they are relatively rare, there are three types of tumors that affect the spine and spinal cord: primary benign tumors, primary malignant tumors, and metastatic tumors.

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