Gilbert, AZ – May, 2017 – Spinal stenosis is a condition in which the bony space or canals, through which the nerves and spinal cord pass, narrows down. Arthritis can cause the facet joints and ligaments to enlarge and thicken restricting the space for the nerves to move freely. This results in pinched and inflamed nerves that causes pain and weakness in your legs, back, neck or arms. Spinal stenosis is a degenerative condition that involves –
• narrowing of the spinal and nerve root canals
• enlargement of the facet joints
• stiffening of the ligaments
• overgrowth of bone and bone spurs
Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis
• A dull ache or sharp and severe pain in different areas, depending on which part of the spinal canal has narrowed.
• Lumbar stenosis can lead to pain, tingling or numbness from the buttocks, down the back of both thighs, often called sciatica pain.
• Cervical stenosis may cause pain, tingling or numbness from the neck, down the shoulders and into the arms and hands.
Causes of Spinal Stenosis
Aging, osteoarthritis, degenerative conditions such as spondylosis or spondylolisthesis; and traumatic injury can lead to spinal stenosis.
Spinal Stenosis Treatments
There are no treatments to cure spinal stenosis but pain specialists can help you obtain pain relief using various minimally invasive treatments.
• Medication Management
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen are prescribed to reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
• Epidural Steroid Injections
An injection of a steroid and an anesthetic is given into the epidural space of the spine to reduce the swelling and inflammation of the spinal nerves.
• Facet Injections
Facet injections involve injecting a combination of a corticosteroid and an analgesic-numbing agent to the painful facet joint, either inside the joint capsule or in the tissue surrounding the joint capsule.
• Chiropractic Care
Spinal adjustments are used to realign the bones and return joints to more normal motion. Along with interventional pain treatments, it can reduce pain, muscle spasms or tightness and overall health.
• Physical Therapy
Physical therapy can help you return to full activity as soon as possible. Stretching and strengthening exercises are key elements of the treatment and strengthen your back, leg, and stomach muscles as well as improve the flexibility of your spine and legs.
Experienced pain specialists at the Arizona pain management clinic, DISC, often use a multi-disciplinary approach, combining different treatments to offer lasting relief and an improved quality of life.
If you have any questions about interventional pain management in Arizona, call the leading Arizona pain clinics, Desert Interventional Spine Consultants at 480-838-1914. DISC is committed to providing the highest quality spine care with cutting edge interventional pain treatments and precise diagnostic tests.
DISC takes a personalized approach to understanding dysfunction at its core. Working with each patient’s unique history, diagnostics and lifestyle, pain doctors create individualized treatment plans.