Spinal Stenosis

What is spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis is a disorder in which your spinal canal narrows, and this can put pressure on the nerves in and coming out of your spinal cord.

Spinal stenosis most often affects the cervical (neck) and lumbar (lower back) regions of your spine. Each of your vertebrae has a large opening at its back that creates the spinal canal. Smaller openings called the foramina lead off the spinal canal. The foramina provide pathways for the nerve roots where they exit your spinal cord and branch off around your body.

If you have spinal stenosis, the openings become narrower, leaving less room for the nerves coming out of your spinal cord. The result is pinching of the nerves, and this affects how they function.

What causes spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis can develop for several reasons, including:

• Osteoarthritis
• Bone spurs
• Vertebral dislocation
• Vertebral fracture
• Herniated discs
• Tumors
• Thickened spinal ligaments

You could also be born with a small spinal canal that isn’t giving your nerves enough room.

What are the symptoms of spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis symptoms can vary depending on which nerves are affected. Back pain is a typical symptom, along with unusual feelings in your arms, buttocks or legs, like:

• Weakness
• Numbness
• Tingling
• Leg, buttock, and groin pain

Difficulty walking or standing but experience relief in the seated or flexed position. Lumbar spinal stenosis can cause sciatica, which gives you pain that shoots through your lower back, hip, buttock, and down one leg.

Spinal stenosis can also sometimes lead to problems with bladder and bowel control, so you might start to experience incontinence.

How do I start stenosis treatment?

Your doctor might suggest starting your spinal stenosis treatment with conservative therapies like:

• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Muscle relaxants
• Pain-relieving medications
• Physical therapy

If these initial treatments don’t help with your spinal stenosis symptoms, Dr. Nelson has considerable expertise in using advanced, minimally invasive treatment options.

A New state-of-the-art procedure For Lumbar Stenosis:

Superion by Vertiflex is revolutionizing the treatment of lumbar stenosis. It provides patients with a minimally invasive approach that puts their comfort and safety first, offering the only treatment on the continuum of care between conservative care and surgery. Dr. Nelson is the most experienced physicians in our area who is trained in this procedure. 

Click here to learn more about this new procedure for Spinal Stenosis:

• Superion Interspinous Spacer (Vertiflex)

For most patients, conservative approaches work well. If your spinal stenosis is causing you much pain and discomfort, you can be sure that Dr. Nelson has the skills and experience to deliver unrivaled outcomes.

Dr. Nelson is also an expert in regenerative medicine treatments like stem cells and platelet-rich plasma (PRP). These therapies help your body heal damaged tissues using cells taken from your own body.

To find out more about treatments for spinal stenosis, call Dr. Daniel Nelson today or book an appointment online.