What Is Spinal Stenosis?

Definition

Spinal Stenosis is the spaces between your bones that make up your spinal cord, or vertebrae and get narrow.  The pressure on the bones and nerves runs from your spine to your arms and legs.  This mostly happens in your lower back and neck.

Symptoms

While you may not notice any symptoms, the narrowing puts pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots and causes numbness, weakness, cramping or pain in the arms or legs.  In severe cases, you might have trouble with bowel, bladder or even having sex.

Who Can Get It

Although mostly common in men and women over 50 years of age, it can happen if you are younger if you are born with a condition which narrows the spinal canal, or you injured your spine in some way.

The Aging Spine

As you get older, the ligaments, the cords that hold the spine together, get thicker and harder.  The bones and joints get bigger as the spaces between the vertebrae get narrower.  Arthritis, more common as you age, make it worse.

Other Possible Causes

There are several things that can put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves.  A herniated disk, soft cushions or disks, for example, can crack or ooze.  Tumors can also grow in the spine, or a sudden injury can shift or create bone fragments.

Diagnosis

Your doctor may ask about your medical history because injuries or other health problems may cause the same symptoms.  He may check your pain by having you bend backwards as he tests your muscle strength and reflexes.  You doctor may run imaging scans to check inside the spinal column for tumors, bone spurs, or injury.

Doctors Who Can Help

Other doctors than can help are a physical or occupational therapist, who helps with certain exercises, a rheumatologist, treats arthritis and related disorders, or a neurologist, who treats nerve problems.  If you need surgery, your doctor will refer you to a orthopedic surgeon, who deals with bones, or a neurosurgeon, who focuses on the nervous system.

Medication

Your doctor may suggest an over-the-counter drug like acetaminophen, aspirin, naproxen, or ibuprofen to treat inflammation or pain.  If these don’t help, your doctor can give you a shot of steroid, like cortisone, in your spinal cord to ease pain and inflammation.  Yet another option is an anesthetic medication to block pain near the affected nerve.

Non-Surgical Treatments

Your doctor may suggest you refrain from certain activities while also suggesting exercises that strengthen your stomach and back muscles to support your spine.  Some good ones are aerobic exercises like, swimming, biking or a brisk walk, are good for staying active.  If you are older or have weak muscles, your doctor may suggest a brace to strengthen your backbone.

When to Have Surgery

This depends on your overall health and how much your affect your daily activities.  If you’re in good shape but numbness and weakness make it difficult to walk or causes bowel and bladder problems, your doctor may suggest surgery.  It is important to weigh these options carefully as it is a big step.

What Happens During Surgery

The goal in having surgery is to relieve pressure on the spinal cord and nerves which support the spine.  The surgeon can adjust, trim, take out parts of the spinal cord that is causing the pressure.  The surgeon may also join together, or fuse, some of the vertebrae in the problem area.

Surgery Risks

Lots of people who have the surgery are able to walk with less pain after surgery.  But like other operations, infection and blood clots are possible.  You could also have a tear in the membrane which covers the spinal cord.  While these are treatable, it takes longer to recover from surgery.