Spinal – refers to the spine;
Stenosis – medical term used to describe narrowing of any opening
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What Is Spinal Stenosis?
Spinal stenosis (sometimes called spinal narrowing) is a common condition and cause for neck and back pain, especially among elders. It is a form of degenerative changes in the spine, manifested as narrowing of the spinal canal that puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots. The condition is most common in both men and women over 50 years old.
This narrowing can occur in any part of the spine, but it is most common in lower back and neck, and very rare in the thoracic part of the spine.
Spinal stenosis symptoms depend on the affected area of the spine and whether the spinal cord, nerve roots or both are compressed. Most common symptoms are walking or standing with
Causes of Spinal Stenosis
In some cases spinal stenosis is congenital, that means that people are born with smaller and narrowed spine. But in most
Although age is a very important factor, not everyone will get spinal stenosis during the years. Other factors that increase the risk of developing spinal stenosis include osteoarthritis, inflammatory spondyloarthritis, Paget’s disease, spinal tumors, spinal injury or surgery, female sex, etc.
Spinal Stenosis Symptoms
Not all patients diagnosed with spinal stenosis develop symptoms. Symptoms occur when narrowing starts to put pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots. They often start gradually and worsen over time.
Symptoms vary depending on the location of the stenosis and whether spinal cord or nerve roots are affected.
Spinal Stenosis Lumbar – is manifested with pain in the lower back and legs.
Spinal Stenosis Cervical – is manifested with pain in the neck and arms.
Aside from pain, other symptoms include numbness and tingling sensation, muscle weakness and cramping in arms and hands or legs and
Diagnosis of Spinal Stenosis
The doctor will ask and examine you for symptoms caused by spine narrowing. In order to confirm the diagnosis and to determine the severity of condition imaging tests and EMG (electromyography) have to be done. Imaging tests include X-ray, MRI and CT or CT myelogram.
EMG is performed to check the function of nerves and muscles in arms and legs. And blood tests may be done to check or rule out other conditions.
Spinal Stenosis Treatment
It is important to understand that there is no cure for spinal stenosis, but many treatment options can help to cope with the symptoms.
Treatment depends on the location of the stenosis and severity of the symptoms. Treatment options include corrective exercises, physical therapy, medications, alternative therapy, and spinal stenosis surgery.
Other helpful resources you’ll want to check out:
Exercises and physical therapy
Regular exercise and physical therapy are an important part of spinal stenosis treatment. They help to build and maintain muscle strength which results in improving the balance and ability to walk and move, as well as controlling the pain. Swimming, biking and brisk-walking are examples of how to stay active when coping with spinal stenosis.
Medications
Over-the-counter pain killers, such as acetaminophen and NSAIDs, such as ibuprophen and naproxen can relieve mild pain. For more severe and chronic pain anti-depressants and opioids may be useful.
Steroid injections
Injecting corticosteroids around the impingement will reduce the inflammation and provide temporary relief of the pain. It is important to notice that steroid injections won’t work for everyone, and even when they work, repeated injections can weaken nearby structures, so their use is limited to only a few times a year.
Spinal Stenosis Surgery
There are few surgical procedures that can be performed in patients with severe or worsening symptoms; these include laminectomy, laminotomy, laminoplasty and
Alternative Treatments For Spinal Stenosis
Alternative treatments such as chiropractic care, acupuncture
Applying hot and cold pads on the spine and maintaining healthy weight can also relieve some of the symptoms of spinal stenosis. To get to the root cause of pain and discomfort, schedule an initial consultation, including a comprehensive evaluation and first treatment.
Spinal stenosis questions we hear most
Seek emergency care immediately if you develop any of the following: loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness through the groin or inner thighs, or rapidly worsening weakness in both legs. These are signs of cauda equina syndrome, a surgical emergency. Go to an emergency room. Do not wait for a chiropractic appointment.
What does spinal stenosis pain feel like?
Most people feel it in the low back, the buttocks or the legs, and it typically builds the longer you stay upright. A hallmark is that walking distance shrinks: you can go a block or two, the legs get heavy or achy, and sitting or leaning forward over a cart relieves it. Some people with narrowing on imaging have no pain at all. Stenosis in the neck tends to produce arm and hand symptoms instead.
What parts of the body does spinal stenosis affect?
It can occur in the neck, the mid back or the low back, and where it occurs determines what you feel. Lumbar stenosis affects walking tolerance and produces symptoms in the buttocks and legs. Cervical stenosis produces symptoms in the arms and hands, and can affect balance and fine motor control such as buttoning a shirt.
Who is most likely to develop spinal stenosis?
It is largely age related. Most cases we see are in people in their sixties and seventies, because the degenerative changes that cause it, disc thinning, facet arthritis and bone spurring, accumulate over decades. Previous spinal injury, scoliosis and a congenitally narrow canal all raise the odds earlier.
Can spinal stenosis be cured?
Not in the sense of reversing the narrowing, because the narrowing is structural. What can change is how much it bothers you. Many people get substantial and durable relief from conservative care combined with activity modification, and never need surgery. Surgery becomes the conversation when there is progressive weakness, or when pain and walking limitation stop responding to conservative care and start dictating daily life.
What are the best treatments for spinal stenosis?
We use a three part approach. Chiropractic care restores motion in the segments above and below the narrowing and takes mechanical pressure off the irritated nerve. Acupuncture addresses the inflammation and nerve irritation. Then strengthening work builds the muscle and ligament support that holds the spine in a position the nerve tolerates. Spinal decompression therapy is often added, because gently separating the vertebrae gives the nerve more room. If surgery is eventually needed, the usual procedure decompresses the nerve, sometimes with fusion if the segment is unstable.
How do I live with spinal stenosis day to day?
Keep moving, but choose the surface. Daily walking helps, and flat ground is far better tolerated than hills, which force you into extension. Swimming is excellent because the water unloads the spine while taking your joints through full range. Leaning slightly forward, which is why a shopping cart or a stationary bike feels better than standing, opens the canal and relieves pressure. Get your desk, chair and sleep setup looked at, because sustained extension through the low back is what aggravates this most.
