Spinal Stenosis Treatment

As people begin to get older they are likely to suffer from back pain far more than when they were young, and one of the main causes of back pain is spinal stenosis.

Most people do not really understand what spinal stenosis is, but it is less complex than it sounds. Essentially it is the compression of the spine and the narrowing of the spinal cord, usually occurring due to aging and the resulting wear and tear. As the spine begins to narrow it will pinch the nerves around the spinal cord itself.

This pinching leads to pain, cramps, and numbness in the areas of the shoulder, lower back, and limbs. In more severe cases of lower back spinal stenosis a loss of control of the bowels and bladder can occur.

There are different spinal stenosis treatment options that you can consider in order to rectify and control this problem. Medication is something that you can use in order to reduce pain related with the condition. It is simple to get over-the-counter drugs that will help to limit the amount of pain that you feel depending upon the severity of the problem.

A discussion of lumbar spinal stenosis treatment by Dr. James Hamada.

You can also have steroid injections into your spinal cord in order to reduce inflammation and therefore reduce the amount of pain that you are suffering from as well. In general, these will be used only for those who are in more intense pain and have a more serious condition. Also, certain potential side effects will limit the number of injections that you can have each year.

There are also a great many physical therapy treatments that you could try as well. By strengthening the abdominal muscles and the lower back you can take some of the pressure off the spine and therefore ease your pain and discomfort. It is a good idea to exercise several times each week, and the effects of this should be noticeable relatively quickly.

There are also a number of back support devices for spinal stenosis treatment that you can wear as well. These are intended for use for those who have far more serious conditions and with very weak abdominal muscles. They are usually not be worn at all times, but only when engaging in activities that will require them.

In more severe cases it is also possible to go down the surgical route as well. If you do choose to take this path then it is certainly important for you to discuss this with your physician so that you can find out about all of the associated risks that will accompany this type of surgery.