Spinal stenosis symptoms & treatment

Spinal stenosis is caused by a narrowing of your spinal canal (the open space in your spine). The narrowing pinches – or puts pressure on – your spinal cord or the nerves of your spine, causing pain, numbness or weakness.

The most common cause of spinal stenosis is aging, as the wear and tear on the spinal cord discs and joints cause the canal to narrow. Conditions like arthritis, a bulging disc or thickening of the ligaments in the back can cause spinal stenosis as well.

Stenosis can affect any area of your spine, although it most often occurs in the neck (cervical spinal stenosis) and the lower back (lumbar spinal stenosis).

Advanced treatment for spinal stenosis

As one of the largest regional health care providers in Wisconsin, we treat thousands of people for spinal stenosis and other back and spine conditions every year. We apply this experience to every aspect of your care so that you can count on:

• Team approach: Our spine program contains both orthopedic and neurosurgery experts, and we are one of the only providers in Wisconsin that offers this high level of integrated care. Working together, we’re able to provide comprehensive, seamless care that treats your pain and other symptoms while protecting the health of your spine.
• Convenient locations: We have multiple locations throughout eastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. You can find the care you need where you need it, from imaging scans to physical therapy to rehabilitation services. Get spinal stenosis treatment close to home, so you can focus your energy on your health, not on traveling.
• Customized rehabilitation: If you have surgery, rehabilitation will be an important part of your recovery plan. Our rehabilitation experts offer customized physical therapy plans, working with you one-on-one to help you get back to life on your terms. Learn more about our rehabilitation and therapy services.

The location of your pain depends on where the stenosis is in your back. Spinal stenosis symptoms often start slowly and gradually get worse over time.

You may feel relief from your symptoms when you bend forward, sit or lie down. Spinal stenosis symptoms can also improve when you walk uphill and worsen when you walk downhill.

If you experience these symptoms, you can turn to our team for expert, compassionate care. We will get to the bottom of your pain so we can treat it and help you get back to feeling your best.

Causes of spinal stenosis

Aging is the most common cause of spinal stenosis. This is because the spine consists of bones separated by discs. The discs are made of a jelly-like, squishy substance, and as we age, those discs lose water. As a result, growths called bone spurs form on the surface of the bone, eventually causing the spine to narrow. People 50 years of age and older are most likely to experience this.

But other medical conditions may also contribute to spinal stenosis, including:

• Arthritis
• Inflammatory spondyloarthritis, which is a term used to describe diseases that involve your joints and the areas where ligaments and tendons attach to bone
• Scoliosis
• Spinal tumors, which are growths that can form inside the spinal cord
• Paget’s disease, a bone disease that causes the bones to weaken
• Herniated disc

When younger people have lumbar spinal stenosis, it’s usually due to a congenital condition. In people over the age of 50 with lumbar spinal stenosis, the cause is more often due to degenerative conditions.

Diagnosis of spinal stenosis

Our specialists will perform a thorough evaluation so we can make a precise diagnosis.At your first appointment, they will ask you about your possible spinal stenosis symptoms and medical history. They’ll want to know the exact location of the pain and whether it radiates down the arms, back or legs. They’ll ask what kind of pain you have (e.g., burning, aching or tingling), how long you’ve been having the pain and about anything you've done to treat your pain.

Diagnostic tests may include:

• Performance exam: We may ask you to sit, stand, walk, bend forward, bend backward and bend sideways. We may also ask you to lie down and lift your legs straight up.
• Imaging scans: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scans detect damage in your spinal canal. We may also use a myelogram, where we inject a dye into your spine, making it easier to see the test results. X-rays can also help us rule out other injuries that may be causing your symptoms.
• Electromyography (EMG): Stenosis can put pressure on the nerves in the back, irritating or damaging them. This test measures the electrical activity of your muscles to identify nerve irritation or damage.
• Bone scan: These scans help us rule out other causes of your pain, such as tumors, fractures or arthritis.

Learn more about orthopedic diagnosis methods and advanced technology available at Aurora.

Comprehensive spinal stenosis treatment

After we arrive at a precise diagnosis, we will discuss your spinal stenosis treatment options with you. We’ll consider nonsurgical treatments for spinal stenosis first to relieve the pressure on the spinal nerves and improve your symptoms.

Our orthopedic and neurosurgery experts work hard to find the spinal stenosis treatment solution that works best for you. You may benefit from a customized physical therapy plan or you may need a minimally invasive surgical procedure. Whether you have mild or severe stenosis, we consider your health goals, personal preferences and lifestyle when creating a care plan. Together, we’ll help you get back to enjoying your life.

Nonsurgical treatments for spinal stenosis12

Nonsurgical spinal stenosis treatments include:

• Medications, like over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) – to relieve pain and inflammation
• Physical therapy exercises to help restore movement and function
• Chiropractic care and acupuncture to help manage symptoms and relieve pain for people with spinal stenosis
• Cortisone injections to lessen swelling and inflammation

Regular exercise like walking or swimming helps you maintain overall strength, which is vital for your quality of life. Find an activity that doesn’t cause pain and stick with it.

Surgical treatments for spinal stenosis

If nonsurgical spinal stenosis treatment does not work or works only temporarily, we will discuss options for spinal stenosis surgery with you. Among people who are older than 65 who undergo spine surgery, lumbar spinal stenosis is the most common diagnosis.

Whenever possible, we use minimally invasive surgical methods, which target only the affected area to protect the healthy tissue. This leads to easier, more comfortable recoveries. Learn more about minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery at Aurora.

Procedures we offer include:

• Laminectomy, to remove the lamina, part of the vertebrae, and create more space in the spinal canal
• Foraminotomy, which enlarges the area where the spinal nerve root exits the spinal canal
• Spinal fusion procedures, to connect the vertebrae that are causing pain so they no longer move around

Learn more about spine surgery at Aurora.

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