Spinal Stenosis Column

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

With lumbar spinal stenosis, the spinal canal becomes narrow.  This is mostly due to aging as well as degeneration in the spine.  The discs located between the vertebrae may become dehydrated, thus resulting in loss of density and no longer acting as a cushion between the bones. 

Different Types of Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis can affect you in any of the major segments of the spine and is often termed with the segment affected.  If there is surgery to be preformed it is very important for the surgeon to know the specifics of your spinal stenosis as it will guide the surgeon in locating the correct area for treatment.

Exercises for Spinal Stenosis

When considering treatment for spinal stenosis, exercises that emphasize forward bending (flexion of the spine) are often suggested by spine specialists and physical therapists.  Treating spinal stenosis using flexion of the spine increases the amount of room in the spinal canal allowing for the irritated nerve to decompress and the pain to be resolved.

Cervical Spinal Stenosis

Cervical stenosis is defined as a tightening, or reduction of space available for the spinal cord and nerves in the cervical canal.  As the final stages of degeneration in the spine occur, bone spurs, also referred to as osteophytes, can form leading to the development of cervical stenosis.

Spinal Stenosis Treatment

An accurate diagnosis is a must when forming a treatment plan for spinal stenosis.  Leg pain that worsens when you walk is one of the most common symptoms shared by patients suffering from spinal stenosis.  A physical examination will not provide enough conclusive evidence to form a proper diagnosis.  A MRI or CT scan will provide your doctor with the proper information needed to correctly diagnose spinal stenosis.

Spinal Stenosis Symptoms

One of the most difficult challenges your doctor will face is properly diagnosing your condition. 

It’s difficult to attaining an accurate diagnosis because spinal stenosis shares many common symptoms linked to other conditions.  The most common symptom of lumbar spinal stenosis is leg pain.  Leg pain as a result of lumbar stenosis is often referred to as sciatica.

Spinal Stenosis Surgery

If you are unable to perform daily activities, or the quality of your lifestyle has been severely affected by spinal stenosis symptoms, your health care provider may recommend spinal stenosis surgery as the next step in your recovery.

Cause of Spinal Stenosis

When reviewing statistics, we find that the age bracket most commonly affected by spinal stenosis in men and women is over fifty years of age.  Although age is the main criteria when considering a natural occurrence of spinal stenosis, a younger person may be afflicted with spinal stenosis because they were either born with a narrowing of the spinal canal, or they have suffered from a traumatic injury to the spine.

What is Spinal Stenosis

Originating from Greek, the term stenosis means a choking.  Lumbar spinal stenosis occurs when spinal nerve roots in the lower back are compressed or choked producing painful symptoms.  Along with the pain come symptoms of weakness or numbness.