Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Treatment in Plano TX
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What is the most effective lumbar spinal stenosis treatment in Plano TX? Back pain is a common condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Research shows that 80% of Americans experience spinal pain at some point during their lives.
The question is: what is spinal stenosis? What are the causes and symptoms of spinal stenosis? Are there any effective treatment options? In today’s article, we will answer these questions. Read on!
What is Spinal Stenosis?
Spinal stenosis is a condition characterized by narrowing of the spinal canal. The condition is more common in people above 50. However, various lifestyle factors and injuries can also cause spinal stenosis, leading to severe discomfort and pain.
The spine consists of vertebrae, which are a series of connected bones and discs that acts as shock absorbers. Intervertebral discs protect your spinal cord, allowing the organ to function correctly by maintaining its connection to the brain. The vertebrae form a canal in which the spinal cord rests.
Cervical and lumbar stenosis are two different types of this condition. Cervical stenosis occurs in the neck region, leading to narrowness in the upper spine. On the other hand, lumbar stenosis occurs in the lower back.
Arthritis is a condition that causes numerous changes to your spine and may cause stenosis in your lower back. The vertebrae contain open spaces that get smaller when the spinal canal narrows. As a result, the tightness pinches the spinal cord or surrounding nerves.
So, this leads to severe discomfort, pain, numbness, and tingling sensations in your arms, legs, and torso. Let us now discuss the causes and symptoms of spinal stenosis so that you know how the condition occurs. Continue reading!
Causes of Spinal Stenosis
Arthritis is the leading cause of spinal stenosis. It is a condition that causes the soft tissues in your spine, including the cartilage, to break down. There are different types of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoarthritis causes changes to your spinal discs. It can also lead to the formation of bone spurs. Not only does osteoarthritis put pressure on your spinal cord and nerves, but it also causes various conditions, including herniated discs, spinal injuries, and tumors.
Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis
What is spinal stenosis? Spinal stenosis is a back condition that affects your cervical or lumbar spine. The condition affects people differently. For instance, some people have spinal stenosis with no symptoms.
Others suffer from severe symptoms, including numbness, tingling, stiffness, and back pain. Sciatica, foot drop, loss of bowel control, loss of bladder, radicular pain, radiculopathy, and myelopathy are other symptoms of spinal stenosis.
Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Treatment in Plano TX
Several cases of spinal stenosis require advanced treatments, such as minimally invasive surgery. It is an advanced surgical procedure that requires the surgeon to approach the spine by making a small incision.
The purpose is to spare the surrounding muscles, tissues, and nerves. Similarly, minimally invasive surgery is the best Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Treatment in Plano TX, because it does not cause a lot of blood loss, infections, and muscle damage. At the same time, it leads to less post-operative pain and quicker rehabilitation.
Your doctor may recommend you consult a qualified neurosurgeon when conservative treatment options fail to relieve your back pain. Medications, physical therapy, and steroidal injections can reduce painful sensations, but these can’t fix the narrowness caused by bone spurs and osteoarthritis.
Therefore, you may need to undergo minimally invasive surgery. Unlike open-back surgery, minimally invasive surgery is the best Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Treatment in Plano TX. At MINT, our neurosurgeons perform different procedures to treat the conditions.
For example, our neurosurgeon may perform a laminectomy to remove the back part of the damaged vertebrae in your lumbar spine. On the other hand, laminoplasty is an effective treatment option for people with neck pain. The procedure involves placing metal hardware in the vertebrae of your neck region.
You may undergo Laminotomy if the requirement is to remove a portion of the vertebrae to relieve pressure. Moreover, decompression surgery involves removing part of the thickened ligaments in the spinal canal.
Contact MINT Today
Spinal stenosis is a chronic and painful condition. Lumbar spinal stenosis affects your lower back. It can hinder your day-to-day life and take a massive toll on your overall health and wellbeing.
Different symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis are difficulty controlling your bladder and bowel, trouble walking, sitting, running, or jogging, and severe pain and numbness in your legs. Contact MINT today for advanced Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Treatment in Plano TX.
