What causes spinal stenosis?
Spinal stenosis is the medical term for the narrowing of the spaces between vertebrae along your spine. Because your nerves branch out and travel through those spaces, when the space starts to shrink, pressure builds up on nerves.
You can develop spinal stenosis in your neck (cervical stenosis) or in your lower back (lumbar stenosis). This painful and debilitating condition can develop because of:
- Wear-and-tear from osteoarthritis
- Abnormally thickened ligaments
- Vertebrae dislocations or fractures
- Trauma or injuries
- Herniated discs
While less common, sometimes spinal stenosis occurs because of tumors that develop inside your spinal cord.
Are there symptoms of spinal stenosis?
Yes, although symptoms of spinal stenosis tend to develop gradually, so you may overlook them until the condition becomes more severe. Spinal stenosis symptoms are described below.
Cervical stenosis symptoms
When you have spinal stenosis in your neck, you may experience any of the following symptoms.
- Numbness, tingling, or shooting pains in your extremities
- Difficulty walking or poor balance
- Urinary or bowel incontinence
- Chronic neck pain
Lumbar stenosis symptoms
Spinal stenosis that develops in your lower back can lead to any of the following issues.
- Numbness, tingling, or cramping pains in your legs and feet
- Muscle weakness in your legs and feet
- Chronic lower back pain
Without proper treatment, spinal stenosis is only going to progress. The dedicated pain specialists at Regency Pain & Therapy Institute want you to schedule an evaluation even if your spinal stenosis symptoms are minor or occasional.
How is spinal stenosis treated?
Treating spinal stenosis depends on its location and the severity of your symptoms. In most cases, your spinal stenosis treatment plan from Regency Pain & Therapy Institute is going to include several of the following therapies.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Antidepressant or anti-seizure medications
- Painkiller medications
- Corticosteroid injections
- Physical therapy
If your spinal stenosis is in your lower back and caused by thickened ligament tissue, you may be a candidate for a decompression procedure. This in-office treatment — performed under local anesthesia — involves using specialized needle-like instruments to strategically remove thickened tissue to increase space in your spinal canal.
As a last resort, if your spinal stenosis symptoms continue to progress, or if you’ve become disabled by your symptoms, your practitioner at Regency Pain & Therapy Institute might recommend surgery to reshape bones and relieve pressure on the affected nerves.
If you have chronic pain from spinal stenosis, see how the team at Regency Pain & Therapy Institute can help. Call your nearest clinic directly.
