Lumbar Stenosis
Lumbar Stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal of which the nerves travel. It is one of the most common issues of the aging spine, but can be caused due to congenital or disk related problems. As the spine ages, the disk space collapses, the ligament will thicken and the bone spurs will grow into the canal and foramen for the nerves.
Lumbar Stenosis usually begins slowly after the age of 60. The most common complaint is a pain or heaviness in the buttock that radiates to the legs. It often has numbness or tingling with a lack of strength or endurance. Because the spine is more open to the nerves in flexion, the pain is relieved with sitting and worsened with standing or walking. The symptoms are very diverse and depend on which nerves are compressed and the severity of compression.
Early treatments include physical therapy and anti-inflamatories. When the pain is severe, epidural injections of cortisone can relieve the symptoms for months to resume regular activities. Surgery to decompress the canal, Laminectomy, is the treatment when conservative measures fail to treat the problem.
Lumbar Stenosis usually begins slowly after the age of 60. The most common complaint is a pain or heaviness in the buttock that radiates to the legs. It often has numbness or tingling with a lack of strength or endurance. Because the spine is more open to the nerves in flexion, the pain is relieved with sitting and worsened with standing or walking. The symptoms are very diverse and depend on which nerves are compressed and the severity of compression.
Early treatments include physical therapy and anti-inflamatories. When the pain is severe, epidural injections of cortisone can relieve the symptoms for months to resume regular activities. Surgery to decompress the canal, Laminectomy, is the treatment when conservative measures fail to treat the problem.
