Spinal Stenosis

Most patients find conservative treatments helpful for spinal stenosis, but some continue to experience troublesome back or neck pain. Contact board-certified neurosurgeon Praveen Reddy, MD, M.Ch, and the team at the Center for Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery, PLLC, which has five prominent locations in Spring, Conroe, Kingwood, Willis, The Woodlands, Texas, if you have pain and disability resulting from spinal stenosis. The team uses advanced minimally invasive surgical techniques to widen your narrowed spinal canal and relieve your pain. Call the nearest Center for Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery, PLLC, office to schedule a spinal stenosis assessment or book an appointment online today.

What is spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis is a common cause of neck and back pain. It results in spinal canal narrowing that may compress or damage your nerves as they pass through the vertebrae to spread around your body.

The narrowing of the spinal canal can develop for several reasons. One is arthritis, which damages the facet joints linking your vertebrae. This can cause ligament thickening and bone spurs — small outgrowths from the bone that your body produces to strengthen a weakened spine.

Another is disc problems. The intervertebral discs provide your spine with cushioning and stability. If they weaken due to degenerative disc disease or trauma, the outer shell can split (disc herniation), releasing the jelly-like core into your spinal canal.

These spinal abnormalities irritate or press on the nerve roots, resulting in spinal stenosis symptoms.

What symptoms indicate I have spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis doesn’t always cause problems — it depends on if the discs, bone, or ligament are pressing on any nerves. If you develop symptoms, they may include:

• Numbness

• Tingling

• Pain

• Weakness

• Loss of function

• Pins-and-needles sensation

These symptoms can affect the arms if you have cervical stenosis in the neck. If you have lumbar stenosis in your lower back, symptoms may spread into the hips and down the legs. Sitting bent forward can ease spinal stenosis pain by temporarily giving your nerves more room.

What treatments are available for spinal stenosis?

If you have no symptoms, you don’t need to worry about your condition. But if spinal stenosis is causing problems, you might benefit from noninvasive treatment. This could include a physical therapy referral, medication to reduce inflammation, and activity modification to allow the tissues to heal.

Epidural steroid injections or facet joint injections containing a steroid and/or a local anesthetic medication can ease more persistent spinal stenosis. If they don’t, minimally invasive surgery might be an option. This could involve decompression (removing bone or other material narrowing the spinal canal) or discectomy (removing all or part of a damaged disc).

Afterward, your spine will probably require stabilization. Fusion uses a bone graft to link the vertebrae on either side of the space, strengthening the spine and relieving pain. An artificial replacement disc fits into the space left by a herniated disc, mimicking its function.

The Center for Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery, PLLC, specializes in cutting-edge endoscopic decompression and robotic-assisted surgery. Spinal range of motion may be limited after fusion, but your movement is likely to be more natural with artificial disc replacement.

Call the Center for Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery, PLLC, to arrange a spinal stenosis evaluation or request an appointment online today.