Spinal Stenosis

Medically, stenosis means, “narrowing” or “choking.” Spinal stenosis refers to the narrowing of the spinal canal. The most common causes of spinal stenosis are wear and tear, or degeneration of the spine. This condition becomes more common in those over the age of 50. Spinal stenosis can impact all areas of the spine, or it can be limited to one area, such as the neck or lower back.

Spinal Stenosis Symptoms

Spinal stenosis produces mild to severe pain, muscle weakness, and tingling. There are two main types of Spinal Stenosis: Lumbar spinal stenosis is caused by the compression or choking of the spinal nerve roots in the lower back. Approximately 75% of cases of spinal stenosis occur in the low back (lumbar spine) and it affects the sciatic nerve running along the back of the leg. This can produce symptoms of sciatica -- tingling, weakness or numbness emanating from the lower back into the buttocks and legs – which escalate with increased activity. Cervical spinal stenosis is caused by compression of the spinal cord in the neck. Cervical spinal stenosis can be very dangerous with severe symptoms that may include major body weakness or paralysis.                                              

What Causes Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis begins with spinal disc changes such as tearing, bulging, scarring, herniating, and narrowing. Gradually, the spinal facet joint becomes inflamed, the ligaments in the spinal canal and nerve holes become overgrown, and bone spurs form on the vertebrae and facets. These new growths compress the spinal cord and spinal nerves causing pain. When a patient has back pain, it is imperative that they seek medical treatment, as many of the causes of spinal stenosis will worsen over time--the more damage that has occurred, the harder it becomes to treat. As the condition progresses, there is a lower chance of successfully treating the pain with non-surgical treatments or therapies.

Spinal Stenosis Treatment Options

Spinal stenosis treatments may include physical therapy, exercise, medication, chiropractic adjustments, or acupuncture and should be attempted for six weeks. Many times pain will be reduced using these methods if done correctly with the assistance of a doctor or physical therapist.  When conservative spinal stenosis treatments fail to reduce a patient’s pain and/or other symptoms, an endoscopic foraminotomy and/or discectomy may be required.

Spine Centers of America performs these minimally invasive spine surgery procedures to remove debris that may be present in the patient’s spine, reducing pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. Endoscopic foraminotomy and/or discectomy are generally performed as out-patient procedures. They have a low incidence of complications. However, because it involves surgery on the spine, it is strongly recommended that a board certified spinal surgeon perform the surgery.