What is spinal stenosis?
Spinal stenosis is a condition of the spine that causes narrowing of the spaces in between your spinal joints, which may lead to pinching of the nerves and result in pain. Spinal stenosis most often occurs in the cervical or lumbar areas of your spine.
Spinal stenosis frequently develops from the wearing away of the discs that separate the joints that make up your spine as you get older.
What are the symptoms of spinal stenosis?
Not everyone with spinal stenosis has symptoms. Common symptoms that may indicate spinal stenosis include:
- Neck or lower back pain
- Numbness or tingling in your extremities
- Radiating pain to your extremities
- Leg cramps after standing for an extended period of time
In severe cases, spinal stenosis may cause you to lose control of your bowel or bladder.
If you’re experiencing these symptoms, contact the team at North Texas Orthopaedic & Spine for a comprehensive evaluation.
How is spinal stenosis diagnosed?
Your specialist at North Texas Orthopaedic & Spine conducts an evaluation to determine the underlying cause of your symptoms. In addition to a physical, your specialist may also conduct functional tests to identify the nerves that may be affected by your narrowing spine.
Diagnostic imaging, such as an X-ray or MRI, may also be recommended to assess the degree of your spinal condition.
What treatments can improve my spinal stenosis?
Treatment for your spinal stenosis depends on the part of your spine that’s affected and your symptoms. Your specialist at North Texas Orthopaedic & Spine develops a personalized treatment plan to help you get relief from your pain and improve your quality of life.
Your treatment may include
- Over-the-counter pain medication
- Antiseizure medications to decrease nerve pain
- Physical therapy to improve muscle support
- Steroid injections to reduce nerve inflammation
Your specialist may also recommend spinal decompression, a minor medical procedure that increases the space in between your spinal joints to reduce pressure.
If conservative management of your spinal stenosis fails to restore your quality of life, your specialist may recommend surgery, such as a laminectomy or spinal fusion, for your spinal stenosis.
Spinal stenosis is a common cause of back or neck pain. For expert care, call North Texas Orthopaedic & Spine today or book an appointment online.
