What is Spinal Stenosis ?
Spinal Stenosis is a narrowing of your spinal canal which puts pressure on your spinal nerves.
Spinal Stenosis occurs most often in the lower back (Lumbar Spinal Stenosis) but can also occur in the neck (Cervical Spinal Stenosis)
Symptoms of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (Lower Back)
Some people with spinal stenosis may not have any symptoms. Others may experience one or more of the following symptoms:
- Numbness or tingling in the foot or leg
- Weakness in the foot or leg
- Pain or cramps in one or both legs when standing for long periods or when walking and usually eases when you bend forward or sit
- Lower back pain
Lumbar Spinal Stenosis symptoms are usually worse when you stand or walk and usually feels better when you lean on a shopping cart, sit, or lie down. Patients suffering with this condition have a hard time standing completely upright and tend to bend or stoop forward as they stand and walk.
Symptoms of Cervical Spinal Stenosis (Neck)
- Numbness or tingling in a hand, arm, foot or leg
- Weakness in a hand, arm, foot or leg
- Problems with walking and balance
- Neck pain
- In severe cases, bowel or bladder dysfunction (urinary urgency and incontinence)
What Causes Spinal Stenosis?
Spinal stenosis is most commonly caused by wear-and-tear changes in the spine as you age.
Herniated discs or thickened spinal ligaments can cause stenosis, but it usually occurs as a result of arthritis and wear and tear from the aging process. Arthritis can produce bone spurs, which can also cause stenosis.
Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Cervical Spinal Stenosis
Diagnosis
A full spine evaluation is best to assess spinal stenosis and plan treatment. Tests may include X-Rays which can reveal bony changes such as bone spurs narrowing the spinal canal. MRI can detect damage to your ligaments and discs. A CT can be done if you can’t have an MRI.
Treatment
Once you’ve developed spinal stenosis, it’s important to receive proper treatment. This is a condition that won’t go away on its own, and the symptoms do worsen over time. Treatment options Include:
- Medications to help deal with the discomfort of Spinal Stenosis.
- Physical Therapy to build up your strength and endurance, maintain the flexibility and stability of your spine and improve your balance. Steroid Injections can temporarily reduce the inflammation and relieve some of the pain.
- Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression (MILD®) which is also known as Percutaneous Image-Guided Lumbar Decompression (PILD) is an excellent treatment for certain patients. With this procedure, needle-like instruments are used to remove a portion of a thickened ligament in the back of the spinal column to increase spinal canal space and remove nerve root impingement. Only patients with lumbar spinal stenosis and a thickened ligament are eligible for this type of decompression.
- Surgery (Decompressive laminectomy) may be necessary in severe cases if other treatments haven’t helped or if you’re disabled by your symptoms. The goals of surgery include removing bone from the vertebrae create more space within the spinal canal to relieve the pressure on your spinal cord or nerve roots.