May Be Necessary When Spinal Stenosis Treatment

Treatment options for patients with spinal stenosis symptoms differ for each patient, the patient experiences more specifically, because it can be manipulated. Suffer from debilitating pain, spinal stenosis is still an individual to another, unable to experience discomfort. Or "narrowing" - creates abnormal passageways of the spinal cord or nerve root compression of the spinal nerve, or whether the stenosis is based on this discrepancy exists. Symptoms of local pain at the time of compression, with pain radiating symptoms, numbness, weakness, and are among the most tingle. In general, rather than a doctor - surgery to relieve nerve compression tried, symptoms, treatments that focus on taggisalagali repression.

Initial Treatments

what is spinal stenosisSince every patient with spinal stenosis symptoms can experience different levels of pain, it is important for individuals to clearly explain their symptoms to a doctor so that the proper treatments are prescribed. Give your doctor a detailed description of the location and severity of your discomfort, and try to describe when the symptoms usually occur (at the end of the day or first thing in the morning) and if there are any activities that tend to trigger the onset of symptoms (walking, sitting, standing, etc.). In most mild to moderate cases of pain, a doctor may initially recommend conservative (nonsurgical) spinal stenosis treatment options, such as:

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications – to help reduce inflammation and pain
• Cold therapy – to numb painful areas and soothe inflamed tissues
• Heat therapy – to relax tense muscles surrounding the narrowed portion of the spine
• Low-impact exercise – to keep spinal muscles strong, which may take some pressure off of the narrowed portion of the spine that is causing nerve compression
• Gentle stretching – to flex the spine, which widens spaces within the spinal canal and temporarily relieves nerve compression

More targeted treatments such as pain- and inflammation-relieving epidural steroid injections or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) may also be necessary to combat symptoms. Some patients have also found alternative treatments beneficial, though these are generally not considered to be part of mainstream medicine. You may want to ask your doctor about the possibility of supplementing your prescribed treatment regimen with acupuncture, acupressure, massage, biofeedback, or chiropractic manipulation.

Surgical Treatment
Spinal stenosis surgery is typically reserved for patients who have not found significant pain relief, even after exhausting all forms of nonsurgical treatments. Such patients are usually debilitated by their symptoms and have a reduced quality of life as a result. Surgical treatment normally focuses on the decompression of a neural structure by removing a portion of bone and/or other tissue within the spinal column. This can help to expand the area surrounding a compressive anatomical abnormality and relieve pressure from the pinched nerve. Ideally, patients considering surgery should always thoroughly research their options before consenting to any procedure and consult with multiple surgeons about the different procedures that are available. Ask each specialist you meet with to provide a full list of his or her credentials and certifications, in addition to a contact sheet for previous patients who can serve as referrals.