Spinal Stenosis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
To help you discuss spinal stenosis symptoms and treatment options with your orthopedic surgeon, here’s a breakdown of this condition.
What Is Spinal Stenosis?
Spinal stenosis occurs when the vertebral column constricts and exerts pressure on the spinal cord or neural foramen. Cervical/lumbar central stenosis occurs when the spinal canal is narrowed. Cervical/lumbar foraminal stenosis occurs when the neural foramen is narrowed.
What Causes Spinal Stenosis?
The causes for spinal stenosis include:
- Age: Wear and tear on the spine as a result of aging can cause the bone to narrow.
- Inflammation: Osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis in the bone joint may affect the spine.
- Heredity: People born with genetic tendency for narrowing of the spine.
- Spondylolisthesis: A condition where one vertebra glides forward over the one below, causing narrowing of the spinal canal.
- Tumors
- Injury or trauma: Damage to the spine can dislodge the spinal canal, produce bone pieces that penetrate the canal, or compress the nerve roots.
What are the Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis?
The most common symptoms of spinal stenosis include:
- Lower back pain
- Pain down the legs
- Numbness
- Weakness
- Pain with prolonged sitting or standing
- Gait disturbances
How Is Spinal Stenosis Diagnosed?
To diagnose and develop a treatment plan for spinal stenosis, your orthopedic surgeon will perform the following:
- Medical history: Your orthopedic surgeon will gather a detailed history of your symptoms and any treatments received.
- Complete physical examination: Your orthopedic surgeon will perform a thorough examination of body movements, including examining the back to assess flexibility, range of motion, and the presence of certain signs that suggest nerve roots are being affected.
- Investigations: Your orthopedic surgeon will order a spine X-ray to rule out other causes. Sometimes, your surgeon may also order a CT scan or MRI to get a more detailed examination of the bone or soft tissues.
What are the Treatment Options for Spinal Stenosis?
Your orthopedic surgeon will recommend non-surgical treatment options based on the severity and duration of pain or associated symptoms, including: pain medications, rest, restricting certain activities, cold/hot packs, physical therapy and acupuncture.
If non-surgical treatment options do not relieve your back pain, your orthopedic surgeon may recommend a spinal decompression and fusion surgery. This procedure involves relieving pressure on the spinal cord, followed by a discectomy to remove the affected disc and a fusion to stabilize the spine by joining the surrounding vertebrae. This approach is often used when spinal stenosis is causing significant nerve compression and pain that hasn’t improved with conservative care.
Don’t let spinal stenosis keep you in pain and away from the activities that you love. See how our orthopedic surgeons can develop a treatment plan for your spinal stenosis that helps your symptoms, and gets your life back on track.