Symptoms

The symptoms of spinal stenosis depend on where the narrowing is. Most spinal stenosis affects the lumbar, or lower back, area. You experience pain radiating down your leg that is relieved if you sit or bend forward. In severe cases, you could lose bowel, bladder or sexual function and have difficulty walking.

The second most common area for spinal stenosis to occur is in your neck, or cervical spine. People with cervical stenosis may feel pain radiating down an arm, or aching, numbness or tingling in the arm or leg. They may have difficulty with fine motor skills, such as picking things up with their fingers or writing, problems walking or loss of bladder and bowel control.

Types:

Cervical spinal stenosis occurs in the neck and can involve either the cord or spinal nerves. If spinal nerves are involved, you will have pain, numbness, tingling and/or weakness of the neck, shoulders and/or arms. If the cord is involved, you may also have symptoms affecting your legs, usually uncoordinated movement and difficulty walking.

Thoracic stenosis is rare because there is less curvature in the thoracic spine, and therefore less stress on the joints between vertebrae. The spinal canal is normally narrower in the thoracic spine, however, so it takes less obstruction to cause symptoms.

Lumbar stenosis is common, and involves the lower back. Lumbar stenosis causes pain in the lower back and leg and may also cause weakness in one or both legs.

Diagnosing Spinal Stenosis

•    Complete history to determine how long symptoms have been present and if condition is worsening

•    Physical Exam to evaluate pain and weakness of extremities

•    Neurological exam will identify chronic nerve root depression

•    Laboratory tests to rule out unusual causes of nerve root and spinal cord dysfunction

•    X-rays of lumbar and cervical spine can identify the amount of spinal degeneration or instability.

•    A CAT scan (Computerized axial tomography) helps visualize the spinal column and identifies areas of stenosis.

•    A myelogram, in which a dye is injected into the space occupied by the spinal cord and nerve roots, can identify problem areas.

•    An EMG (electromyographic) test helps identify compressed nerve roots.

Treatment

Conservative methods of treatment are used as long as possible. They don’t cure the problem, but most people get relief of their symptoms for quite a while by doing prescribed exercises, including flexion. Most people have good results with physical therapy. Chiropractic, massage and acupuncture often help, too.

Most doctors prescribe muscle relaxers or anti-inflammatory medications to relieve the symptoms of spinal stenosis. If those don’t work, epidural cortisone treatments and nerve blocks may be helpful.

Resources

• What is Spinal Stenosis? | The Therapii Blog
• Spinal Stenosis and Fusion Surgery |
• Vitiligo White Skin, Due to Loss of Melanocytes | Health
• Training Speed with No Space | The Athletic Development Blog
• Thinking About Traveling?
• Howard Edition » Blog Archive » TMJ Disorders Predictably Managed
• Shad Feramisco » Treating Lumbar Stenosis With Interferential
• Perform Better Functional Training Summit Recap Part 2 « Sean Skahan
• Free Nordic Walking Classes Returning To The Senior Expo at the Wexford Civic Center in Cadillac, Michgian « Nordic Walking Blog USA
• Brand New! Neck & Shoulder STRETCHES, Dr. Jeff King, Quincy chiropractor | CancerType
• Expert-view: The Thoracic Spine (from the System "Yoga in Daily Life" against Back Pain) (Part 2) | Back Pain Therapy
• Spinal Stenosis Relief In South Florida | Vilemov Castle
• Cervical Spine Anatomy and Examination | Singapore Sports and Orthopaedic Clinic
• Spinal Tumors Surgery Abroad At Affordable Cost -Spinal Tumors | No SubHealth | How to get better health.
• Cervical Stenosis | Menopause, Osteoporosis, All Women Health
• The Importance of Thoracic Spine Mobility | Mark's Daily Apple
• Sciatica Pain Relief Fast Using Feldenkrais
• Neck Pain Surgery In India At Affordable Cost | Jaw Sore
• Rapid Recovery Facelift | Jaw Sore
• Tmj Sore Jaw – TMJ Treatments For a Sore JawTMJ Disorder | Jaw Ear Pain

Treatment

This pain may require a combination of several therapies targeted at the individual requirements of the patient. Some of these therapies are:

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy addresses the underlying causes of the chronic upper back pain and restores a pain-free movement of the back bones and muscles. It makes the patient unlearn the bad postures acquired over the years and learn the good postures.
Physical therapy involves passive and active treatment.

 Passive treatment is so called because it does not require the active participation of the patient. Passive therapy includes deep tissue massage, hot and cold treatment and electrical nerve stimulation.

Active treatment involves various exercises to promote the flexibility and strength of muscles, movement of the joints especially of the thoracic spine if they are the cause of the upper back pain.

Psychosomatic treatment

Upper back pain can sometimes become very acute and cause deep frustration, fear and emotional pain. Patients easily fall for new promises of successful treatment and when their expectations are belied, they suffer psychologically as well physically.

Psychosomatic treatment involves training in deep breathing, meditation, relaxation, positive thinking, concentration and visualization techniques. It helps the patient to take his focus off the pain, which   relieves mental tension as well as the pain in the muscles.

Surgery

In case the conventional therapies fail, the patient may be advised surgery. For that the doctor usually arranges blood tests to diagnose the actual cause of the pain. He may also recommend CT(Computerized Tomography) or MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan to reveal the state of muscles and other soft structures in the spinal area.

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