Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the passages within the spine that house the spinal cord and nerve roots. The spinal cord begins at the base of the skull and runs downward to the top of the lumbar (lower back) region of the spine. The cord is located within the vertebral foramen, which is the opening through the center of the spinal column formed by the stacked vertebrae. Spinal nerve roots branch off the spinal cord in pairs and exit the spinal cord through intervertebral foramina, which are openings located between the vertebral joints. Narrowing of the spinal canal is known as canal stenosis, while narrowing of the passages for the nerve roots is known as foraminal stenosis.

The Effects of Spinal Stenosis

The effects of spinal stenosis vary from person to person. Some never experience symptoms at all, because many of the conditions that produce spinal narrowing are asymptomatic in and of themselves. Others with spinal stenosis experience chronic, debilitating pain that has a detrimental effect on quality of life. Why does spinal stenosis affect some people more than others? It depends primarily on whether the underlying condition causes compression of the spinal cord or nerve roots.

The development of age-related degenerative spine conditions such as osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease can lead to anatomical abnormalities such as bone spurs (osteophytes), herniated discs, bulging discs, and spondylolisthesis (vertebral slippage). Spinal tumors and traumatic injury also can reduce the space available for the spine’s neural components. However, chance plays a big role in whether these conditions produce potentially debilitating symptoms such as pain, tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness. It has everything to do with whether there’s nerve compression at all, as well as the location of the nerve compression, which is relatively unpredictable in most people.

The Most Common Location of Spinal Stenosis

The most common location for spinal stenosis among seniors and very active people in their 30s and 40s is the lower back. That is due to the fact that the lumbar spine is subjected to a great deal of stress over the years. This stress derives from the weight-bearing function of the lower back and from the wide range of bending, twisting, and turning supported by the lower back. The potential for the development of a degenerative spine condition is increased among those who sit for long periods of time, or for those whose lifestyles involve physical activity – such as playing golf or contact sports – that require repetitive movement or expose the spine to repeated physical trauma.

For those who do experience nerve-related symptoms associated with spinal stenosis, conservative treatment methods usually suffice. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and exercise are normally the first line of defense and serve to manage symptoms in the majority of cases. Excessive back or neck pain might require prescription narcotic medication or a series of corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation and pain. Only about 10 percent of patients with symptomatic spinal stenosis turn to surgery as an option, and even then only after all conservative treatment methods have been exhausted, or in rare cases when there’s an emergency condition present like cauda equina syndrome which requires immediate surgery.

Types of Surgery for Spinal Stenosis

The type of surgery required to relieve nerve compression related to spinal stenosis will depend on several factors. These include the underlying cause of the nerve compression, the location of the nerve compression, and the overall health of the patient. Some patients who require surgery must resort to spinal fusion, which is a highly invasive procedure that requires overnight hospitalization, general anesthesia, excision of soft tissue to access the cause of the nerve compression, and an arduous recuperation that can take up to a year. Others find that their condition can be treated with minimally invasive, endoscopic techniques that are performed on an outpatient basis and require no hospitalization, general anesthesia, or excision of soft tissue.

Author Bio: Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient procedures for spinal stenosis and several other spinal conditions.

Category: Medicines and Remedies
Keywords: Spinal stenosis