Do you experience numbness, tingling, or pain in your neck or lower back? It could be spinal stenosis. About 95% of people have symptoms of spinal degeneration by age 50, and most people over age 60 have some degree of spinal stenosis.
At The Spine Institute of Southeast Texas, with locations in Pearland, Bellaire, and Lake Jackson, Texas, Thomas Jones II, MD, provides a range of treatments for spinal stenosis, which can relieve your pain and restore mobility and function.
Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spaces in the spine. This can put pressure on the nerves in the spine and lead to a number of symptoms.
The most common symptoms of spinal stenosis are pain, tingling, numbness, and muscle weakness. These typically occur on the cervical and lumbar areas of the spine, but your legs and arms could be affected as well. This condition could cause you to stumble, and one or both feet may drag a little when you walk.
More serious symptoms can include leg paralysis. Furthermore, functions related to your bowels and bladder can be affected as well. If you lose complete control of your bladder or bowels, however, you should go directly to the emergency room, as this could be a sign of a more serious spinal condition.
Spinal stenosis is usually the result of osteoarthritis, and the symptoms normally appear when compression occurs in the spinal canal. When this happens, pressure is placed on the spinal cord and nerve roots, which can lead to varying degrees of discomfort.
While spinal stenosis cannot be cured, it can be managed. Some of the things that may be recommended to manage symptoms include:
Physical therapy or another type of regular exercise may be able to improve muscle function, flexibility, and balance.
In cases of severe pain, cortisol injections in the spine may be able to help.
Decompression laminectomy is a surgery that aims to open up space in the spinal canal, thereby relieving pressure on the nerves.
Dr. Jones knows that every patient is different. No single treatment works for every person. He will work closely with you to diagnose your condition and find a treatment that will relieve you of your pain. To see if you have spinal stenosis or to get treated for it, book an appointment online or over the phone with The Spine Institute of Southeast Texas today.
