Overview. Spinal stenosis happens when the space inside the backbone is too small. This can put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves that travel through the spine. Spinal stenosis occurs most often in the lower back and the neck. Some people with spinal stenosis have no symptoms
How do you fix spinal stenosis?
Laminectomy is a surgery that doctors perform to treat spinal stenosis by removing the bony spurs and the bone walls of the vertebrae. This helps to open up the spinal column and remove the pressure on the nerves. Doctors may perform a discectomy during a laminectomy
How serious is spinal stenosis?
People with spinal stenosis may experience numbness, weakness or cramping in legs, pain going down the leg, abnormal bowel or bladder function, and loss of sexual function. In severe cases, spinal stenosis may cause partial or complete leg paralysis that requires emergency medical treatment.
What are the worst symptoms of spinal stenosis?
Most often, symptoms will be on one side of the body, but may involve both legs. Symptoms include: Numbness, cramping, or pain in the back, buttocks, thighs, or calves, or in the neck, shoulders, or arms. Weakness of part of a leg or arm
What is the cause of spinal stenosis?
The most common cause of spinal stenosis is osteoarthritis, the gradual wear and tear that happens to your joints over time. Spinal stenosis is common because osteoarthritis begins to cause changes in most people's spines by age 50. That's why most people who develop symptoms of spinal stenosis are 50 or older.
What makes spinal stenosis worse?
Spinal stenosis symptoms tend to worsen the more you walk without treating it since the leading cause is a contraction of the spinal cord, which irritates the leg nerves. The irritation of the terms causes inflammation, and so this should be part of the treatment.
Can spinal stenosis ever go away?
Spinal stenosis can't be cured but responds to treatment.
You can live a normal life with a spinal stenosis diagnosis and can work on improving your mobility and comfort.
What are the 3 stages of stenosis?
mild aortic stenosis.
moderate aortic stenosis.
severe aortic stenosis.
What activities should be avoided with spinal stenosis?
High-impact activities: Activities that involve high-impact, such as jumping, running, or contact sports, should be avoided as they can cause further injury to the spine. Heavy lifting: Heavy lifting can put a lot of stress on your spine and exacerbate your symptoms.
What does spinal stenosis pain feel like?
Symptoms like aching, cramping, tingling, heaviness and occasional weakness in the legs are usually brought on by walking or standing. They can be eased by sitting or leaning forward. Patients with lumbar stenosis can also have back pain.
Kind Regards,
The SpineAlign Team
