Spinal Stenosis Specialist

What is spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis is a common condition in later life when years of use and the effects of aging cause changes in your spine. For various reasons, the spinal canal narrows (stenosis means “narrowing”) and limits the space available for the nerves coming off your spinal cord.

This narrowness can put pressure on the nerves that cause pain and other symptoms, including:

• Tingling
• Prickling
• “Pins and needles” sensation
• Weakness
• Numbness
• Loss of function

If the spinal stenosis is in your neck, these symptoms can spread into your shoulders and arms. If it’s in your lower back, symptoms can affect your hips, buttocks, and legs. Leaning forward often gives temporary relief from lumbar (lower back) spinal stenosis.

What causes spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis isn’t a single disease. It can occur for several reasons, most of which relate to the effects of aging on your spine. They include:

Degenerative disc disease

Degenerative disc disease occurs when the spongy discs between your vertebrae lose their flexibility, getting drier and stiffer. As the discs flatten, the alignment of your spine can shift, causing narrowing.

Herniated discs

Herniated or bulging discs can be due to acute trauma or degenerative disc disease. The softer core of the affected disc pushes against the outer shell, making it bulge or squeeze through a tear or weak spot (herniation). The protruding part of the disc makes the spinal canal narrower.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a common disease of older age that develops when the protective cartilage on your bones wears away. This cartilage coats the ends of the bones inside your joints, and you have many small facet joints in your spine. 

As the cartilage erodes, inflammation sets in, causing pain and stiffness.

The bone deterioration affects your spinal alignment, causing narrowing. To compound the problem, your body might produce knobs of bone to reinforce the weakened vertebrae. Unfortunately, these bone spurs add to the narrowing problem.

How is spinal stenosis treated?

The aim of your spinal stenosis treatment at Metro Anesthesia & Pain Management is to relieve the pressure on your spinal nerves. The team offers multiple approaches to treat spinal stenosis in a convenient, office-based setting, saving you money on co-pays and deductibles. 

Your treatment may include:

• Physical therapy
• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Epidural steroid injections
• Medial branch nerve blocks
• Facet blocks
• Transforaminal nerve blocks
• Stem cells
• Radiofrequency ablation
• Spinal cord stimulator implantation

Your provider starts your treatment with the least invasive options. They only advance to other therapies if initial therapies are unsuccessful — for most patients, conservative approaches work well.

If you have any spinal stenosis symptoms, call Metro Anesthesia & Pain Management today or book an appointment online.