Have you been developing back pain that gets worse as time goes on? If it’s paired with numbness or tingling in your legs, there is a chance that it’s not regular aching but something called spinal stenosis.
It’s a condition that can happen to anyone regardless of age, and be a consequence of many different chronic conditions. Spinal stenosis can be easily overlooked when searching for therapies that focus only on temporarily getting rid of the pain.
That’s why New York Pain Medicine Associates has compiled a list of signs and symptoms that can help you discern if you should seek specialized care. At our medical center we focus on pain management with cutting-edge research and non-invasive treatments that prioritize patient experience and relief.
Spinal stenosis is a condition that can be a part of an illness, the result of an injury, or even congenital. The term refers to when the spinal cord and associated nerves get compressed due to the space they go through being obstructed or diminished.
This can either be the main canal where your nervous system transports information in your spine, or the openings throughout that allow the central nerves to exit and connect to the rest of the system. Sometimes it’s also a result of the space between the vertebrae getting smaller in conditions like arthritis.
The narrowing of any of these spaces usually happens gradually, and at the beginning it can be difficult to point at what exactly feels wrong. Sometimes it can even go undetected during the first stages of it. Although it mostly manifests in the lumbar (lower back) and cervical (neck) regions, it can also develop anywhere in the spine.
To differentiate spinal stenosis from other conditions that cause back pain, the specific symptoms and timeline that comes with them will be your best clue. Although some people may be asymptomatic, for most they are going to increase and get worse with time.
If you suspect you have spinal stenosis, we recommend looking for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan, which, if you are in New York, we can help you with at our office.
The most common symptoms experienced by people who have spinal stenosis in their lower back are:
Learn more: 5 Low Back Pain Symptoms You Should Never Ignore
For those who have cervical spinal stenosis, the most common symptoms are:
In some cases, spinal stenosis can also affect some autonomic functions like bladder and bowel control.
As we said before, spinal stenosis can have a lot of reasons. The spine is quite delicate and can come under pressure or damage easily. However, there are some conditions that are heavily related to spinal stenosis like the following:
Other reasons for spinal stenosis are direct trauma to the area, where a displaced disk can put pressure on the central nervous system. Tumors growing close to the spine can also be a cause, as well as the ossification of a ligament that runs besides your column, as the deposit can create a narrowing of the natural space where the spinal nerve is supposed to go.
As people age, the body slowly begins to change and develop new problems that were not there before. The spine also goes through this, and it’s easier to get a herniated disk, and overall unfavourable mobility in your vertebrae that can entrap the spinal nerve.
In some cases, spinal stenosis is congenital, and a person can simply be born with a narrow canal.
Usually physical therapy will be the first step a doctor recommends when someone begins experiencing symptoms. Whenever this is not enough, major surgery doesn’t need to be the only option, as it can be taxing on the body, especially if a person has other health conditions.
Minimally invasive treatments can help manage the pain and limitations that spinal stenosis can bring into your life. Some of them are:
New York Pain Medicine Associates can provide these treatments, and given the expertise of our board-certified and award winning pain specialist Dr. Demesmin, you will be in excellent hands if you choose to seek treatment with our office.
If you suspect you may have spinal stenosis and are looking for treatment, NY Pain Medicine Associates has 5 locations in different parts of New York City. Our practice was created with the objective of helping people experiencing pain, no matter how complex or rare the condition, while providing non-invasive and effective treatments that prioritize patient well being.
Contact us if you want to get a diagnosis or treatment plan with our practice, and get ready to live a pain-free life.