What is spinal stenosis?
Spinal stenosis is a degenerative condition that causes the spine to narrow. That can lead to many complications as the spine starts to put pressure on the nerves. While spinal stenosis can develop anywhere along the spine, it commonly affects the neck (cervical stenosis) and lower back (lumbar stenosis).
What are the symptoms of spinal stenosis?
Spinal stenosis symptoms can range from mild to severe. Some people experience no symptoms at all, but the most common signs of spinal stenosis include:
- Neck pain
- Back pain
- Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the extremities
- Balance issues
- Limited mobility
In advanced cases, spinal stenosis can even interfere with bladder and bowel control if the compression begins to affect the peripheral nervous system.
What causes spinal stenosis?
Spinal stenosis is a condition that typically results from musculoskeletal damage or inflammatory conditions, such as:
Osteoarthritis (OA)
The most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis occurs when the flexible cartilage that cushions your joints starts to deteriorate. In some cases, this degeneration leads to bone spurs, which can grow into the spinal canal and irritate the nerves inside.
Trauma
Traumatic incidents, such as car accidents and sports injuries, can permanently damage the spine and cause long-term swelling.
Herniated disc
The discs that sit between each vertebra in your spine have a hard shell with a soft center. When the soft center pushes through small cracks in the casing, it’s called a herniated disc. Herniated discs are notorious for irritating surrounding nerves, which can cause inflammation that narrows your spine.
While less common, thickened ligaments and abnormal growths, like tumors, can also cause spinal stenosis.
What are the treatments for spinal stenosis?
How your provider at Academy of Neurosurgical Physicians treats your case depends on the severity of the condition. While non-surgical approaches, such as physical therapy and steroid injections can offer relief from spinal stenosis pain, many people require more advanced treatments to minimize their symptoms.
Decompression procedures, which aim to remove portions of thickened ligaments from the spine, may be appropriate if thickened ligaments are the source of your pain. These procedures are minimally invasive and rarely require general anesthesia.
However, you may need spinal surgery to relieve your pain. The neurological surgeons at Academy of Neurosurgical Physicians will choose the right type of surgery for you based on the location and severity of your compression.
Most spinal stenosis surgeries remove some or all of the lamina (back of the vertebra) in the affected region or create a hinge on the lamina to open the spinal canal.
If you’re struggling with spinal stenosis pain, call Academy of Neurosurgical Physicians or book an appointment online now.
