Spinal Stenosis
What is Spinal Stenosis?
Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spaces within your spine, which can put pressure on the nerves that travel through the spine. Occurring most often in the lower back (lumbar) and the neck (cervical), this condition can cause significant pain, numbness, and muscle weakness that affects your daily quality of life. At the Center for Brain and Spine, we specialize in identifying the underlying cause of your stenosis and providing personalized neurological and regenerative treatments to restore your mobility.
Common Symptoms
Some people may experience no symptoms. Others may have numbness, tingling, pain, or muscle weakness. Symptoms may worsen over time. The symptoms vary based on the stenosis location and which nerves are under pressure.
In cervical stenosis, common symptoms include:
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Neck pain
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Standing, walking, and balance difficulty
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Numbness and tingling in your arm, hand, foot, or leg
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Weakness in your arm, hand, foot, or leg
In the most severe cases, there can be problems with the bowel or bladder, known as urinary urgency and incontinence.
In lumbar stenosis, common symptoms include:
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Back pain
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Numbness and tingling in your leg or foot
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Weakness in your leg or foot
It is also common to have cramping or pain in one or both legs after walking or standing for extended periods of time. Sitting down or bending forward often relieves these symptoms.
Causes and Risk Factors
While some people are born with a small spinal canal, most spinal stenosis occurs when something happens to narrow the open space within the spine. Common causes include bone overgrowth from osteoarthritis (bone spurs), herniated disks, thickened ligaments, and spinal injuries. Aging is the most significant risk factor, as most people over age 50 show some degenerative changes that could lead to stenosis.
How Can it Be Treated?
Following your diagnosis, there are a number of treatment options. Choosing the right option depends on your health and the severity of stenosis.
These options may include:
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Medication for pain
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Physical therapy
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Steroid injections
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Decompression procedures
In more severe cases, surgery may be necessary. Such minimally invasive microsurgical treatments include:
LAMINECTOMY
In a laminectomy, also known as a decompression surgery, the back portion of the vertebra (called the lamina), which is responsible for narrowing the spinal canal, is removed. This creates more space within the canal, thereby reducing pressure on the nerves. In some cases, spinal strength may be reinforced with metal hardware and a bone graft to link neighboring vertebra.
LAMINOTOMY
A laminotomy is similar to a laminectomy, except only part of the lamina is removed instead of the entire lamina. A hole is created within the affected vertebra that is just large enough to reduce the local pressure.
FORAMINOTOMY
The foramina are the small holes that nerves pass through between vertebra. If there is a blockage or pressure on a nerve, the hole is enlarged to give the nerves sufficient passage.