How to Deal with Spinal Stenosis

A recent study  published by Boston University has determined that lumbar spinal stenosis affects 4.71% of the general population, seemingly a very low number.  However, 47.2%   of individuals in the 60-69 age group have lumbar spinal stenosis on their MRI scan, which is a significant number.  The individuals  that actually  are diagnosed with severe stenosis will approach 20%.  These patients with significant spinal stenosis have a 3 times higher incidence of back pain than the general population.  As our population continues to live longer, spinal stenosis will certainly be  a significant health problem.

Spinal stenosis is the progression of arthritis in the spine occurring in the neck, as well as in the lower back.   As we age, the cartilage in the discs of our spine will lose their ability to hold water.  The water in the discs is what helps the disc move and remain flexible to bending and compression.  As the discs lose their water content, they become more fragile.  If the  fragile cartilage breaks, the condition is called degenerative disc disease.  As discs degenerate, they will begin to bulge and put pressure on the spinal canal and nerve roots.  This disc bulging will decrease the diameter of the spinal canal,a condition referred to as spinal stenosis.  This slows the information that flows between the brain and the extremities.  The arms will be affected by spinal stenosis in the neck and the legs will be affected by lower back (lumbar) spinal stenosis.

Patients with lumbar spinal stenosis will feel back pain, as well as leg pain or fatigue.  Because of the fatigue in the legs, patients will have to sit frequently during walks.Lumbar spinal stenosis will also cause patients to find benches in the mall and grab the cart at the grocery store, in order to make it through their errands due to the fatigue.  Some patients may attribute their fatigue to age and as they continue to remain active later in life, this may severely limit their ability to join in their families activities.The leg fatigue can cause significant pain and cramping during activity, but is lessened when the patient sits down.  The act of sitting  opens the spinal canal by decreasing the curve in the lower back,which also occurs while the patient is leaning on the grocery cart.

Spinal stenosis in the neck can cause more severe symptoms.The cervical spine protects the spinal cord because it descends from the base of the brain.  Because spinal stenosis in the neck puts pressure on the spinal cord, the disc pressure will cause symptoms related to the spinal cord.  These include a decrease in the ability to walk as well as problems with the hands.  Patients may find they tend to stumble, as it becomes harder to control the feet and legs.  They may also find their handwriting getting severely worse and that they have difficulty differentiating the  size and feel of coins or shirt buttons. 

Spinal stenosis is usually treated with physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medications.  Physical therapy is intended to help position the spine and open the spinal canal.  With better posture and stronger core muscles, patients may find their leg symptoms and fatigue improve.  They may find they are able to walk farther or faster.  Oral anti-inflammatory medications are a first-line option for improving the inflammation related to the degenerating discs.  When physical therapy and oral medications no longer provide relief, injections of steroid around the discs and nerves may  decrease  the pain and symptoms related to the nerve pressure.  Some patients are able to tolerate their symptoms with  a few injections per year. 

When all of these efforts fail, surgery  becomes an option for improving the patient’s pain.Surgery is aimed toward relieving the pressure from the arthritis on the spinal canal and nerves.  The mechanical pressure can only be relieved by physically removing the bone spurs or disc protrusions.  The surgical procedures involve removal of bone and disc, as well as protecting the nerve roots.  Fellowship-trained orthopaedic spine specialists have undergone the most intense training available in the treatment of the spine and are uniquely qualified to treat patients with spinal stenosis.

Dr. Jeffrey R. Carlson is a doctor at the Orthopaedic and Spine Center, a leading provider of Hampton Roads orthopedics services such as Hampton Roads spine surgery, Hampton Roads custom fit knee replacement, and many other services.  The Orthopaedic and Spine Center can be found online at:  OSC-Ortho.com

 

Treating Backache With Back Pain Exercises

In most of the cases, backaches will be cured through back pain exercises. Exercise increases the blood flow of our body and keeps the muscles and bones healthy. It cuts down on the extra calories that cause flab in our body that results in back pain. These exercises help in strengthening of abdomen muscles, and increase the general flexibility of our body.

To avoid backache, it’s important to stay the opposite parts of the body - spine, rib, joints, and leg muscles, healthy too. So the exercises that we select ought to specialise in improving these related elements as well. Our exercise regimen should be a mix of exercises that focuses on every space of the body.

After we speak of back pain exercises, it will be in any form- cycling, jogging, walking, stretching, or simple yoga. These are general varieties of exercise that help in prevention of back pain, and different kinds of physical ailments. They’re important for our overall fitness. Apart from this, swimming is a wonderful stretch exercise that keeps our back match for an extended time.

Once we really start tormented by acute or chronic back pain, then regular exercises like cycling, jogging, and swimming don’t seem to be enough. In order to cure the excruciating pain in the rear, we have a tendency to would like to follow a correct and focused exercise regime. The exercises should specialise in giving relief to that localized pain which keeps troubling you day and night.

Back pain exercises should be wiped out consultation with a medical practitioner, or physiotherapist. Only a skilled medical practitioner can advise the proper exercises that will work for your back pain. Its solely a doctor who will decide whether or not your back can be cured by exercise, or needs another therapy.

But, once you start doing exercises, you want to take care of a few things so as to attain the proper results.

The Must Follow Rules While Exercising:

1. Do exercises in consultation with a professional practitioner. 2. Follow a correct time routine and series of exercises. 3. Start slowly and then gradually increase the frequency and time. 4. Don’t over-do any exercise. 5. In case the pain will increase when starting the exercise, immediately consult your practitioner. 6. Perform the steps in the proper posture, and with the right approach of breathing. 7. Never stop exercising suddenly unless the pain increases. 8. Forever do heat ups before you start exercising. 9. If there’s no improvement in pain at intervals three weeks, consult your doctor.

Back pain ought to not be left unattended to, as a result of chronic back pain can end in depression and inactivity. Backache ought to be cured either through back pain exercises, or any alternative therapy that is suitable.

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