Spinal Stenosis

What is spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis is a condition that develops because of the narrowing of your spinal canal, the space inside your backbone. It commonly affects the neck or lower back, placing pressure on your spinal cord and nerves. Symptoms range from non-existent to severe. Treatment for spinal stenosis may include conservative treatments or surgery. 

Which symptoms can spinal stenosis cause?

Spinal stenosis can lead to:

• Neck pain
• Back pain
• Tingling
• Numbness
• Muscle weakness
• Leg cramping or pain
• Balance problems
• Issues with your bladder or bowel

These symptoms may be mild, moderate, or severe and worsen over time if not addressed. 

What increases the risk of spinal stenosis?

The following factors can increase the risk of spinal stenosis:

• Disc herniation
• Bone spurs
• Thickened ligaments
• Spinal injuries
• Tumors
• Scoliosis or other spine irregularities 
• Aging

Being over 50 increases the risk of spinal stenosis and other spine conditions that can cause pain. Spine damage after car accidents, sports injuries, work injuries, or other forms of trauma are also spinal stenosis risk factors.

How is spinal stenosis diagnosed?

Dr. Shukairy diagnoses spinal stenosis after discussing your medical history, symptoms, lifestyle, and medications. He examines your spine and orders X-rays, a CT scan, an MRI, or other diagnostic tests to determine the extent of spinal stenosis and create an effective treatment plan. 

How is spinal stenosis treated?

Treating spinal stenosis may involve:

• Medications
• Physical therapy
• Exercise programming, including resistance training
• Injections
• Needle procedures
• Laminectomy (removal of part of the affected spinal bone)
• Laminotomy (removing part of the lamina)
• Laminoplasty (widening the spinal canal)
• Other minimally invasive surgeries

Downtime after minimally invasive surgery is often short, but it’s important to follow all post-care instructions to maximize healing. Surgery is mostly outpatient, promoting a rapid and healthy recovery process.

Take medications as directed, get plenty of rest, and complete physical therapy as needed. Avoid strenuous exercise until Dr. Shukairy gives the okay, and attend follow-up appointments to ensure an exceptional outcome.

Ways to reduce the risk of further problems include maintaining an ideal weight, exercising regularly, eating nutritious foods, using good posture, stretching, and using good form when lifting things. 

Schedule a spinal stenosis evaluation with Dr. Mohammad S. Shukairy by calling the office or requesting an appointment online today.