Spinal stenosis
What is spinal stenosis?
Spinal stenosis is a condition in which the spinal canal narrows and compresses the nerves running through it, producing neurological symptoms. It is a degenerative condition occurring mainly in people over 50 and in women: with age, degenerative change causes the tissue to thicken abnormally and protrude toward the spinal canal, narrowing the opening and compressing the nerves that pass through it, which causes pain. It is diagnosed by MRI, CT and X-ray.
Causes
Symptoms
- 1
- The lower back aches and throbs.
- 2
- Bending backward causes severe pain.
- 3
- The legs feel numb and tight, with pain and dulled sensation.
- 4
- The whole leg may feel weak, as if it were paralyzed.
- 5
- The leg muscles waste away and become thin.
- 6
- The pain is bearable at rest, but worsens when walking or moving.
- 7
- The whole leg may feel weak, as if it were paralyzed.
- 8
- Pain decreases when bending forward.
- Pain worsens when bending backward.
- The pain is severe when getting up after lying down, but once you start moving, the back It gradually softens.
- A bed is more comfortable than the floor.
- Pain worsens when bending forward.
- The pain eases when lying down and gets worse with activity.
- Severe pain when walking
There is usually no pain at rest, but radiating pain occurs when walking, and patients complain that their legs feel 'heavy' or 'numb'. Walking a short distance, then squatting down to rest for a while before being able to walk again, known as neurogenic intermittent claudication, is one of the typical symptoms of spinal stenosis. Also, unlike lumbar disc herniation, in which bending forward is difficult, spinal stenosis limits bending backward, and symptoms actually ease when bending forward. This is exactly why the back becomes bent, as in a stooped elderly woman.
View treatment details
In 80-90% of cases, spinal stenosis improves with non-surgical treatment such as drug therapy, injection therapy, physiotherapy and bracing. But if numbness and a pulling pain in the legs make daily life difficult, the condition is already well advanced and conservative methods have their limits, so minimally invasive treatment is considered. Spinal conditions such as spinal stenosis require continuous management, because if neglected, symptoms such as pain and paralysis can return at any time. Even if symptoms have eased after treatment, therefore, it is best to strengthen the lower back and the surrounding area with regular back-strengthening exercise.
Fewer than 10% of disc patients actually undergo surgery. Surgical treatment is considered carefully only when symptoms do not improve with conservative care, or when the herniated disc compresses the nerve severely enough to cause extreme pain or paralysis.