What is cervical spinal stenosis?
The spinal cord is a group of nerves that run from the shaft of your brain to your lower back. Your spinal canal is the open space in the vertebrae that form and compose the spinal column. These spinal nerves are responsible for movement and sensation, control of bladder and bowel movement, and other functions. When the canal constricts due to age or injury, it can compress and squeeze the nerve endings at the place where they separate from the spinal cord, and also irritate and damage the spinal cord. This can alter the normal functioning of the spinal cord and cause pain, stiffness or numbness of the arms, neck and legs. Cervical spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal in the neck region.
Conservative cervical spinal stenosis treatment Houston, TX are used to treat most cases of cervical spinal stenosis while decompression surgeries are recommended for more severe cases.
What are the signs and symptoms of cervical spinal stenosis?
Spinal stenosis in the neck can produce the following signs and symptoms:
Weakness or numbness: Spinal stenosis in the cervical spine can cause weakness or numbness, or a tingling sensation in one arm, hand, leg or foot. You may experience difficulty to hold things or maintain balance.
Loss of bladder or bowel control: People with severe cervical spinal stenosis may experience incontinence as the nerves to the bowel or bladder are affected.
Shoulder or neck pain If the nerves in your neck are compressed, you may experience pain in the shoulder or neck. Sometimes, cervical spinal stenosis may not cause any pain at all, and the neck pain can be caused due to other problems also.
How is the condition diagnosed?
Because the signs of cervical spinal stenosis are just like other age related problems, the condition can often be difficult to diagnose. The following tests may be recommended to identify the exact cause of your symptoms:
Spinal x-rays: Though x-rays cannot diagnose cervical spinal stenosis, it may be used to rule out the possibilities of other complications causing the symptoms.
MRI scan: Magnetic resonance imaging techniques that involve the use of radio waves and magnetic fields, are commonly used to diagnose spinal stenosis. The test produces cross sectional x-ray images of your spine and it can detect the level of damage in the discs and ligaments.
CT myelogram: In a CT scan, a dye injected into the blood stream is used to detect herniated discs, tumors and bone spurs via X-ray images taken at different angles.
Cervical spinal stenosis treatment Houston, TX
If you are diagnosed with cervical spinal stenosis, your doctor will discuss the best treatments options. Non surgical treatments are always the first choice in treating the condition and until all the conservative avenues are explored, tested and analyzed, surgeries are not considered. Pain medication, physical therapy and steroid injection are the most common recommendations.
Cervical spinal stenosis surgery Houston, TX is definitely an option for people with severe cervical spinal stenosis. These de-compressive surgeries relive pressure and may be performed from the back or front of your neck. The surgery involves the removal of some of the disc, tissue and bone that may be pressing on the nerve roots.Cervical spinal stenosis surgery Houston, TX procedures also fuse the vertebrae together to relive pressure on the spinal cord and nerves.
The spinal cord is a group of nerves that run from the shaft of your brain to your lower back. Your spinal canal is the open space in the vertebrae that form and compose the spinal column. These spinal nerves are responsible for movement and sensation, control of bladder and bowel movement, and other functions. When the canal constricts due to age or injury, it can compress and squeeze the nerve endings at the place where they separate from the spinal cord, and also irritate and damage the spinal cord. This can alter the normal functioning of the spinal cord and cause pain, stiffness or numbness of the arms, neck and legs. Cervical spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal in the neck region.
Conservative cervical spinal stenosis treatment Houston, TX are used to treat most cases of cervical spinal stenosis while decompression surgeries are recommended for more severe cases.
What are the signs and symptoms of cervical spinal stenosis?
Spinal stenosis in the neck can produce the following signs and symptoms:
Weakness or numbness: Spinal stenosis in the cervical spine can cause weakness or numbness, or a tingling sensation in one arm, hand, leg or foot. You may experience difficulty to hold things or maintain balance.
Loss of bladder or bowel control: People with severe cervical spinal stenosis may experience incontinence as the nerves to the bowel or bladder are affected.
Shoulder or neck pain If the nerves in your neck are compressed, you may experience pain in the shoulder or neck. Sometimes, cervical spinal stenosis may not cause any pain at all, and the neck pain can be caused due to other problems also.
How is the condition diagnosed?
Because the signs of cervical spinal stenosis are just like other age related problems, the condition can often be difficult to diagnose. The following tests may be recommended to identify the exact cause of your symptoms:
Spinal x-rays: Though x-rays cannot diagnose cervical spinal stenosis, it may be used to rule out the possibilities of other complications causing the symptoms.
MRI scan: Magnetic resonance imaging techniques that involve the use of radio waves and magnetic fields, are commonly used to diagnose spinal stenosis. The test produces cross sectional x-ray images of your spine and it can detect the level of damage in the discs and ligaments.
CT myelogram: In a CT scan, a dye injected into the blood stream is used to detect herniated discs, tumors and bone spurs via X-ray images taken at different angles.
Cervical spinal stenosis treatment Houston, TX
If you are diagnosed with cervical spinal stenosis, your doctor will discuss the best treatments options. Non surgical treatments are always the first choice in treating the condition and until all the conservative avenues are explored, tested and analyzed, surgeries are not considered. Pain medication, physical therapy and steroid injection are the most common recommendations.
Cervical spinal stenosis surgery Houston, TX is definitely an option for people with severe cervical spinal stenosis. These de-compressive surgeries relive pressure and may be performed from the back or front of your neck. The surgery involves the removal of some of the disc, tissue and bone that may be pressing on the nerve roots.Cervical spinal stenosis surgery Houston, TX procedures also fuse the vertebrae together to relive pressure on the spinal cord and nerves.
