{"id":1038,"date":"2016-12-23T14:53:00","date_gmt":"2016-12-23T14:53:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/davidchangspine.com\/?p=1038"},"modified":"2023-09-19T15:09:30","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T15:09:30","slug":"the-causes-symptoms-and-treatment-of-spinal-stenosis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/davidchangspine.com\/the-causes-symptoms-and-treatment-of-spinal-stenosis\/","title":{"rendered":"The Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Of Spinal Stenosis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Spinal stenosis is a troublesome condition that generally affects the spines of older adults. The reason it tends to occur in adults in midlife is because it is brought upon by a narrowing of your spinal canal, which happens after decades of stress. Today, we\u2019re going to take a look at what forces cause this condition to occur, what symptoms are associated with spinal stenosis, and how the problem is treated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As we alluded to in the introductory paragraph, spinal stenosis is caused by a narrowing of the spinal canal, but that\u2019s not the only factor at work. The narrowing of your spinal canal reduces the space around the spinal cord or nerves in the canal. If an area becomes too narrow, those structures become compressed, and stenosis sets in. Compression from spinal stenosis can also occur due to a break down in the cartilage between discs<\/a>, osteoarthritis in the spine, or because of an injury or tumor than puts abnormal pressure on spinal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Symptoms of spinal stenosis are similar to that of a pinched nerve, and they include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re dealing with any of the above symptoms, you\u2019ll want to head in to a specialist for a diagnosis. A diagnosis of spinal stenosis will be a pretty straightforward process. The doctor will ask you about your symptoms and then conduct a physical exams to see where pain is isolated. Then, they\u2019ll likely confirm the diagnosis with an imaging test, like an x-ray, MRI or CT scan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once the diagnosis has been confirmed, a treatment plan can begin to be formed. Although there is no way to widen your spinal canal, there are some conservative treatments that can help alleviate pain, including anti-inflammatory medications, muscle relaxants, corticosteroid injections, nerve blocks or regular exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Diagnosis and Treatment of Spinal Stenosis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n