Spinal stenosis, or a narrowing of the gaps in your spine, can strain your spinal cord and the nerve roots that leave each vertebra. A prevalent reason is age-related modifications in your spine. Self-care therapies, physical therapy, medicines, injections, and surgery are all alternatives for treatment. Moreover, Georgetown spinal stenosis can affect anybody, although it is most frequent in men and women over 50. Spinal stenosis can occur in children born with a small spinal canal. Other disorders that damage the spine, such as scoliosis or spinal injury, might increase your chance of developing spinal stenosis.
Symptoms of spinal stenosis
Back and leg discomfort are symptoms of spinal stenosis. It usually happens when you walk. Leg weakness may cause you to feel shaky. This might affect both legs or just one. Spinal stenosis of the cervical spine can result in shoulder and arm discomfort and weakness. Claudication is a word used to explain the weakness in the legs that worsens when walking. Claudication is caused by either a constriction of the blood arteries that feed the leg or spinal stenosis. Typically, spinal stenosis prevents you from walking more than a particular distance. You must halt due to increased discomfort and numbness in one or both of your legs. Additionally, standing might cause the symptoms. Sitting or leaning forward usually alleviates the discomfort. When you are relaxing, there is typically no discomfort. Walking frequently worsens leg problems. Also, walking has little effect on the back discomfort caused by spinal stenosis.
Diagnosing spinal stenosis
Your healthcare professional will review your medical history, inquire about your symptoms, and do a physical examination. Your physician may feel your spine during a physical exam, pressing on different regions to discover whether this generates pain. Also, your physician will likely instruct you to bend in various directions to evaluate whether different spine postures cause pain or other symptoms. A provider will assess your balance, movement, walking style, and arm and leg strength. Additionally, your doctor will perform imaging tests on you to evaluate your spine and establish the disease’s exact location, nature, and degree. Imaging examinations may involve the following:
- X-rays: X-rays emit a limited amount of radiation and can reveal changes in bone structure, like disk height decrease and the formation of bone spurs, which narrow the space in the spine.
- MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging): MRI creates cross-sectional pictures of the spine using radio waves and a strong magnet. MRI pictures show the nerves, disks, spinal cord, and the existence of any malignancies in great detail.
- CT scan or CT myelogram: A computed tomography (CT) scan is an X-ray combination that produces cross-sectional pictures of the spine. A contrast dye is utilized in a CT myelogram to better see the spinal cord and nerves.
Many individuals with spinal stenosis live active and complete lives. To address the signs of spinal stenosis, you may require modifying your exercise program or other daily activities. Your clinician may recommend drugs, physical therapy, or surgery to ease pain and other symptoms. Following treatments, you may feel persistent discomfort. Speak with your specialist about your treatment choices and prospects for spinal stenosis. Call Republic Spine and Pain today to schedule your consultation to determine which spinal stenosis treatment is best for you.