All You Need to Know About Spinal Stenosis, Including Its Symptoms and Treatment
The space in your spine is often affected by the progression of spinal stenosis, thus causing its narrowing. This narrowing can irritate or compress your nerve roots or spinal cord, thus causing you pain. The diagnosis and treatment of spinal stenosis in Eugene are made possible by an experienced team of specialists who use advanced tools to suppress your pain. This condition is a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention as it can result in disability.
What Is Spinal Stenosis?
It is when the spaces in your spine narrow, resulting in tightened space around your nerve roots and spinal cord. This often causes irritation and compression of the nerves, thus leading to pain. This narrowing is mainly caused by osteoarthritis, a wear-and-tear that occurs as you advance in age. Spinal stenosis most often develops in the cervical and lumbar spine but can also develop in any part of your spine.
What Are the Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis?
The symptoms usually depend on the location of the narrowing:
- Cervical spinal stenosis
This type of spinal stenosis is characterized by having mild to intense neck pain. It can also be accompanied by problems with walking, balance, or poor coordination of the hand. The other symptoms include weakness and upper extremity pain or numbness and tingling sensations that run down your upper back or arm.
- Lumbar spinal stenosis
In this type of spinal stenosis, the symptoms may include mild to severe lower back pain. The narrowing of the lumbar spine may lead to sciatica which in turn causes radiating pain in the leg. When you have this type of stenosis, your symptoms worsen when you walk or stand but improve when you lie down.
Not everyone having spinal stenosis presents symptoms because, in most cases, it is symptomless.
What Can You Expect During a Spinal Stenosis Consultation?
A comprehensive and patient-focused evaluation is performed. This includes reviewing your symptoms, surgical and medical history, and a physical exam. Various tests may also be done to assess the functioning and strength of your lower extremities. Diagnostic imaging such as MRI or X-rays may be done to assess the severity of your spinal stenosis.
How Is Spinal Stenosis Treated?
Depending on the severity, location of your spinal stenosis, and overall health, the specialists create an individualized treatment plan for you. Conservative treatment is often recommended: physical therapy, acupuncture, anti-inflammatory medication, chiropractic manipulation, and steroid injections.
If your spinal stenosis causes disability and severe pain, then surgical intervention is often recommended. The specialists use minimally invasive spinal surgery. MILD (minimally invasive lumbar decompression) or the placement of a Superion device for spinal stenosis is often recommended.
In conclusion, spinal stenosis is a serious condition that requires immediate intervention. Although it has some symptoms, in most cases, it is symptomless, and that is why it goes undiagnosed most of the time. If you experience the symptoms mentioned earlier, do not hesitate to visit or call Pacific Sports and Spine today or book an appointment with them online.
