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Spinal Stenosis Is No Picnic

My MRI results showed a total disaster. The pictures revealed that I have severe stenosis of the spine, which means that the spaces inside the spinal canal have narrowed and the spinal cord and associated nerves are being wickedly compressed. In addition, several of the discs which cushion the movement of the vertebrae against each other have disintegrated and a few of the bones in the spine have fused to protect whatever was still intact. In short, my spine looked like a Lego set that had been partially dismantled before everybody went outside to play.

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Featured

  Spinal Stenosis: A Painful and Frequently Misdiagnosed Condition

It may be a common problem, but spinal stenosis often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. The symptoms are frequently dismissed as part of the aging process, but they should not be ignored. Chronic pain is debilitating. Depending on its cause, stenosis can be progressive, getting worse with time.

Articles of Interest

Physical therapy as good as surgery and less risky for one type of lower back pain

One type of lower back pain, called lumbar spinal stenosis, is sometimes treated with surgery. But physical therapy works just as well, and comes with fewer unwanted complications...

When to suspect spinal stenosis

The signs and symptoms of spinal stenosis are usually of gradual onset from the age of 60 onwards and, if they progress, will do so slowly over a number of years.

Beware of worthless procedures and epidural steroids for your back pain

Near my office, there’s a breakfast-and-lunch joint where strangers sit down at shared tables. When Joseph, an attorney in his early seventies, heard that I was writing a book about the back pain industry, he started asking questions.

Spinal Stenosis: When Is Surgery the Best Option?

There is no cure for this debilitating condition, but there are treatments available.

Surgery for degenerative lumbar spondylosis - Cochrane Review

This review considers the available evidence on the procedures of spinal decompression (widening the spinal canal or laminectomy), nerve root decompression (of one or more individual nerves) and fusion of adjacent vertebrae. There is moderate evidence that instrumentation can increase the fusion rate, but any improvement in clinical outcomes is probably marginal. The effectiveness of intra-discal electrotherapy (IDET) remains unproven...

Surgery versus nonsurgical treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis: a randomized trial

Surgical decompression yielded similar effects to a PT regimen among patients with LSS who were surgical candidates. Patients and health care providers should engage in shared decision-making conversations that include full disclosure of evidence involving surgical and nonsurgical treatments for LSS.

The Ins and Outs of Cervical Spinal Stenosis

Cervical spinal stenosis is often caused by age-related changes in the spinal canal’s shape and size, which is common in people over 50 years old. The aging process may cause bulging of the discs or thickening of ligaments or tissues connecting the bones.

What Is Spinal Stenosis?

Spinal stenosis can be a congenital condition, with some people having a narrow spinal canal from birth. But more often, spinal stenosis is acquired, resulting from osteoarthritis of the spine. Thickening of a ligament in the back and bulging discs may also cause spinal stenosis.

What It Feels Like to Have Spinal Stenosis: a Father’s Story

Matt Cavallo says the choice to have surgery for back pain from spinal steonsis was the best decision he wished he'd never had to make.

Resources

4 Things to Stop Doing If You Have Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

If you have lumbar spinal stenosis, you may be waiting and hoping it will go away. Or you may be doing exercises but wonder if you are doing enough or the right kind. Finally, you may be wondering whether surgery should be considered. What should you avoid or stop doing at this time?

SpinalStenosis.org

Here you will find articles and stories about spinal stenosis, back and neck pain and other related information. We encourage you to ask questions or comment on any of our blog posts.

Johns Hopkins Medicine

If you have lumbar spinal stenosis, you may have trouble walking distances or find that you need to lean forward to relieve pressure on your lower back. You may also have pain or numbness in your legs. In more severe cases, you may have difficulty controlling your bowel and bladder. There is no cure for lumbar spinal stenosis, but you have many treatment choices.

MedlinePlus

Spinal stenosis occurs mostly in people older than 50. Younger people with a spine injury or a narrow spinal canal are also at risk. Diseases such as arthritis and scoliosis can cause spinal stenosis, too. Symptoms might appear gradually or not at all.