Spinal Stenosis: What Everyone Needs to Know About This Silent Epidemic That Threatens Our Everyday ActivitiesThousand Oaks, California - July 26, 2006
Imagine what life would be like if our ability to make the simplest movements, like standing up straight or going for a walk, were taken away. Spinal stenosis, a narrowing condition of one or more areas of the spinal cord, causes nerve pinching and persistent pain in the lower body that can affect sufferers’ daily activities. In the U.S., it is estimated that 400,000 Americans may already be unknowingly suffering from spinal stenosis, and the number is expected to increase as the baby boomer generation ages. Predominantly affecting both men and women over age 50, spinal stenosis symptoms include cramping, pain or numbness from the back radiating to the legs or from the neck to the arms; a loss of sensation in the extremities and sometimes problems with bladder functions. By the year 2010, it is estimated that the affected age group will make up approximately 19 percent of the population with new cases swiftly on the rise.
“Many times, patients mistake the symptoms of spinal stenosis with everyday back pain and do not consider that consulting an orthopedic specialist can make a significant difference in the diagnosis and treatment of the condition,” said Russell W. Nelson, M.D., founder of Nelson Spine Institute. “Although spinal stenosis is primarily associated with aging, people should not feel they have to just live with the symptoms, which can be very painful and limiting and negatively affect their quality of life,” he added.
More About Spinal Stenosis The major cause of spinal stenosis is a result of the natural process of aging that can neither be predicted nor prevented. Although spinal stenosis is not distinguished by race or ethnicity, and is not associated with a particular occupation or body type, the condition is more common in women than in men. Two of the more serious forms of spinal stenosis seen by orthopedic surgeons are degenerative and congenital. Degenerative stenosis is a disc degeneration causing a narrowing of the spinal canal from multiple directions over time. As the disc degenerates, it loses fluid and begins to narrow, bulging the disc into the canal and creating pressure. Ultimately, the ligaments will thicken and buckle the facet joints. Congenital stenosis is much less common and occurs at an early stage in life. Those who suffer from congenital stenosis are born with a low roof on the spinal canal leaving little space for the development of the spinal cord and nerve roots. In both cases, the narrowing of the spinal and nerve root canals results in a variety of symptoms, including lower back pain, neurogenic claudication (pain, aching, and cramping connected with paresthesia in the lower limb, associated with walking or exercise in an upright posture), lower extremity pain, lack of sensation in the lower extremities, persistent pain in the buttocks, limping and decreased physical activity. “Regular exercise is the best way to avoid symptoms of spinal stenosis, and staying as physically fit as possible improves the endurance and strength of the muscles that support the spine,” said Dr. Nelson. “Avoiding weight gain can also decrease the load that the lumbar spine has to carry, allowing less pressure on the spinal canal,” he added. To avoid painful symptoms or relieve persisting pain, Dr. Nelson recommends that patients follow a simple health regimen:
Although most patients with spinal stenosis will not require surgery, those suffering from more advanced and threatening cases may require surgical decompression to treat and correct the stenosis. This more aggressive treatment may involve laminectomy, which is a procedure that involves removing the bone and soft tissue that are pinching the nerves. Some patients may only require decompression, while some who experience a slippage or curvature of the spine may also require a stabilization procedure called fusion. In a fusion surgery, two or more vertebrae are fused together using bone graft and titanium screw fixation. While these measures are generally reserved for the most severe of cases, the surgical procedures can be very successful and yield excellent results in 80 percent of patients to restore mobility and enhance their physical well-being. Nelson Spine Institute is the newest and most advanced center for spinal care in Ventura County. Specializing in the treatment of spinal problems, including the simplest back ailments to complex spinal conditions from the neck to the low back, Nelson Spine Institute utilizes a variety of the latest and proven treatment options. With university-affiliated pain specialists and physical medicine and rehabilitation experts to treat patients’ chronic pain problems when surgery is not necessary, the Institute’s mission is to provide excellent, advanced orthopedic treatment so patients can get back to health and back to living.
Media Contact: Ágnes Huff Communications Group |
