Spinal Stenosis Symptoms Can Be Tamed If Properly Diagnosed
Thursday, June 24th, 2010If there is any constriction in the stenosis, or the spinal canal, the resulting narrowing causes the dreaded spinal stenosis symptoms of extreme back pain and numbness. The extremities are affected with weakness and tingling. Stenosis can put its debilitating effects on any portion in the spinal column but the lumbar section, or the lower back, and the cervical region, or the neck and upper back area, are the usual victims. Elderly people are most often affected because of their age, which is why their movements are often restricted the older they get.
There are some people who are born with the narrowing of the spinal canal; however, the most frequent causes are aging and trauma. Bulging or herniated discs are common causes as well as spondylolisthesis which the slipping of one vertebrae onto another vertebrae leading to compression of nerves. All of these causes will create the inevitable pressure on the spinal nerves which complains by making the spinal stenosis symptoms felt.
Fortunately, just having the spinal canal narrowing doesn’t mean you feel spinal stenosis symptoms. Inflamed nerves are the root cause of the problem. The symptoms vary, however, depending on what part of your spine is aching. If spinal stenosis has an effect on the lumbar region, then there is weakness or numbness and general pain in the lower extremities which is aggravated during walking. Relief is only felt if the sufferer is resting while lying down. There may be a “pins and needles” feeling in the extremities and sudden moves like coughing and sneezing may actually cause a jolt of extreme pain.
If the effects are on your cervical area or the upper back, then weakness or numbness will be common, sometimes causing clumsiness. Shoulder pain and in extreme cases, incontinence may also occur. The sufferer may be unable to write or perform other fine motor movements. Pain can mimic sciatica, causing the sufferer to adapt bulging disc treatments that don’t actually do anything to help, since treatment is very, very different. Unlike degenerated or herniated discs, the pain of such stenosis actually increases over time.
A good doctor will start the treatment of spinal stenosis symptoms with a thorough physical to measure spinal damage, balance, and movement range and an interview of a detailed medical history. He will also ask for medications previously taken, previous treatments, what worked and what did not.
X-rays can give evidence of stenosis on the spine but they’re usually unable to tell if there’s any injury or additional stress to the specific area. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans, however, can show exactly which area, down to the individual vertebrae, is affected. That’s the time the physician draws up a specific plan of treatments for the sufferer of spinal stenosis symptoms.
Vern Zackerack examines spinal disc problems at his site, Bulging-Disc-Treatment. Read more about degenerative disk disease and spinal stenosis symptoms.