Spinal stenosis symptoms tend to worsen the more you walk without treating it since the leading cause is a contraction of the spinal cord, which irritates the leg nerves. The irritation of the terms causes inflammation, and so this should be part of the treatment.
Flare ups may be caused by muscle spasms, which can be caused by bending or twisting suddenly. They may be caused by an additional problem such as a slipped disc. Some patients may just reach a tipping point where their stenosis becomes symptomatic without any identifiable cause or event.
Contact sports like basketball, football, soccer, and martial arts are exercises to avoid with spinal stenosis. These activities can involve sudden trauma to the spine, which may lead to further injury. Activities that involve jumping, such as jumping rope, should be avoided with spinal stenosis.
Spinal stenosis usually occurs as a person ages, however, some patients are born with less space for their spinal cord. The spinal disks become drier and start to bulge and can rupture. The bones and ligaments of the spine thicken or grow larger. This is caused by arthritis or long-term swelling.
As the condition progresses, weakness of the arms and hands can occur with loss of coordination. Also, in advanced stages of cervical stenosis, problems with bowel and bladder function can result, in addition to weakness and numbness in the legs and feet, which can cause difficulty walking.
Red-flag signs and symptoms of spinal stenosis
Rarely, severe spinal stenosis may cause red-flag symptoms, such as bowel and/or bladder incontinence, numbness in the inner thighs and genital area, and/or severe weakness in both legs.
High-impact activities: Activities that involve high-impact, such as jumping, running, or contact sports, should be avoided as they can cause further injury to the spine. Heavy lifting: Heavy lifting can put a lot of stress on your spine and exacerbate your symptoms.
If your stenosis symptoms don't respond to home remedies or conservative treatment, or if the condition is so painful or debilitating that it affects your daily life, then you likely have severe spinal stenosis.
Mild stenosis can have no symptoms at all, but those in more severe cases get progressively worse. Besides the obvious neck pain, patients can experience weakness or numbness in the extremities, trouble walking or staying balanced, and sometimes incontinence or bowel dysfunction.
In spinal stenosis, people typically experience less pain with leaning forward, and especially with sitting. Studies of the lumbar spine show that leaning forward can increase the space available for the nerves. Pain is usually made worse by standing up straight and walking.
Additionally, according to a 2010 study published in the International Association for the Study of Pain, chronic stress causes spinal neuroinflammation. Spinal neuroinflammation, which is an inflammatory response in the spinal cord, can contribute to and worsen spinal stenosis symptoms.
For patients with cervical stenosis with myelopathy, the only effective treatment option is surgery to decompress the spinal cord. One type of this kind of surgery is a posterior cervical laminectomy.
Laminoplasty The compressive bone in the back of the neck is gently lifted off of the spinal cord creating a new "roof" over the spinal cord and nerve roots. This procedure effectively decompresses the spinal cord over multiple segments without the need for fusion or hardware.
Symptoms of cervical stenosis with myelopathy tend to develop slowly over time, but they also can have spurts of rapid progression or periods of stability without worsening. The timeline for symptom progression can vary widely from person to person.
If untreated, this can lead to significant and permanent nerve damage including paralysis and death. Symptoms may affect your gait and balance, dexterity, grip strength and bowel or bladder function. It can cause pain, weakness, or sensory changes in either your arms or legs.
Symptoms of spinal stenosis in the lower back can include: Pain in the lower back. Burning pain or ache that radiates down the buttocks and into the legs, that typically worsens with standing or walking and gets better with leaning forward (flexion).
Spinal stenosis symptoms may start slowly and worsen over time. Leg pain may become so severe that walking short distances is unbearable. People with spinal stenosis may experience numbness, weakness or cramping in legs, pain going down the leg, abnormal bowel or bladder function, and loss of sexual function.
Physical therapy can help.
The first course of treatment for spinal stenosis is physical therapy along with pain and anti-inflammatory medication. "In physical therapy, we work on improving mobility and strengthening the core (to support the back)," said Dr. Hennenhoefer.
The most common symptom of C5-C6 disc herniation is a pain in the lower neck. This can either be a piercing periodic pinch or a constant vibrating ache at the back of the neck. Due to this pain, certain neck movements can become difficult and/or uncomfortable, thereby limiting the patient's range of motion.
The good news about cervical spinal stenosis is that it's treated using conservative methodologies. While it can be painful, it can also be treated and managed with the right therapies. Most people with this condition live normal, active lives.
A decompression laminectomy is the gold standard of surgery for treating spinal stenosis. This surgery removes the bony spurs and buildup of bone in the spinal canal, giving more room for the spinal cord and nerves.
Seated Back Rest: Should support the complete length of the back while sitting upright. This should be slightly reclined at about 110 angle. Lumbar Support: Should be adjusted to allow even pressure along your back. There should be no gaps or pressure points in the back area.
C5, as mentioned earlier, along with C3 and C4, contributes to the phrenic nerve that innervates the diaphragm. Roots C5, C6, and C7 produce the long thoracic nerve, responsible for controlling the serratus anterior.
Surgical treatment of spinal stenosis is indicated if non-operative care fails or if there is neurologic loss or deficit, especially if the neurologic loss is progressive. Examples of typical neurologic loss or deficit include symptoms of numbness, weakness, loss of coordination or tingling in the arm or leg.