Spinal stenosis refers to the narrowing of your spine’s spaces. As a result, you will experience the compressing of your spinal cord and the spinal nerves and roots leaving the vertebrae. Spinal stenosis often occurs in the lumbar (lumbar back area) and or cervical (neck area) spine of your body. If you suspect you have spinal stenosis in Eugene, below are a few things you should know.
Symptoms of spinal stenosis
● Pain on your legs seems to originate from your buttock or lower back.
● Your leg has a painful weakness that promotes their “slapping” on the ground.
● Difficulties in standing or walking normally.
● The weakening of your bowel and or bladder nerves.
● Pain originates from your spine, but you can feel it in your legs and arms.
● Numbness of arms and legs.
What causes spinal stenosis
The primary cause of the condition is arthritis. If you have arthritis, you suffer from the degradation of cartilage, a vital material for cushioning your bones and promoting bone tissue development.
Since you suffer from degenerative joint disease, a common type of arthritis, you may experience changes in discs, thickening of spinal ligaments, and bony growths on a bone’s edge. That leads to the pressuring and stress of the spinal cord and nerves.
Additionally, an injury to your spine or the growth of tumors in your spinal cord and nerves may also trigger the occurrence of spinal stenosis. Still, you may be born with spinal stenosis, which may make you have health issues when you are in your 30s-50s.
Spinal stenosis treatment options
The condition may be diagnosed by either reviewing your medical history, taking a 3-D image of your spinal cord, or taking x-rays.
For treatment, the options available include:
Medication
Different over-the-counter medications can help offer you momentary relief against spinal stenosis. One of the common medications is aspirin, used according to your doctor’s directions.
You can also use medications classified as antidepressants and relax your muscles.
Your doctor may also recommend an injection of a steroid into your spinal system to hopefully reduce inflammation.
Surgery
If your condition is critical, meaning walking is challenging, and you cannot control bowel movement, surgery may be an excellent treatment option.
Your doctor can utilize different surgery types to form a space between your bones and eliminate spinal stenosis. Surgery may involve the removal of a section of vertebrae or the removal of the back section of the troublesome vertebrae. Alternatively, your doctor may use an instrument resembling a needle for removing part of the affected ligaments in your backbone.
Before opting for surgery, you should be aware of the potential risks.
Home treatment of spinal stenosis
For home treatment of the condition, you should regularly exercise, subject the muscles to heat and cold, avoid having excess body weight, and always assume a safe posture. Other therapies such as massage and chiropractic may also be of benefit.
Without spinal stenosis treatment, the symptoms and condition may worsen and even become permanent. Avoid such a possibility today by contacting Pacific Sports and Spine.