The spinal column has open spaces that create passageways for the spinal cord and the spinal nerves. However, a serious condition occurs when the spinal column narrows thus putting pressure on the spinal column and nerves. This painful compression of the nerves is known as spinal stenosis.

The pressure that occurs can cause pain, weakness, numbness and is most common in the cervical and lumbar regions of the spine since the spinal column can narrow at any point from the head to the tailbone, including the center of the spine.

Causes of Spinal Stenosis

The cause of spinal stenosis is commonly caused by excess growth of the bone around the spinal nerves which is the result of osteoarthritis. It can also result from a dislocation or a fracture of the vertebral bone, or by soft tissue intruding into the spine’s open spaces. Other culprits are herniated discs, tumors, and thickened spinal ligaments which press against the spinal nerves.

Spinal Stenosis Symptoms

Symptoms vary depending on the location and severity. Pain can radiate down the back, arms, and legs, indicating that there is a problem. The development of spinal stenosis can affect a person’s involuntary and voluntary functions, such as breathing, walking, and even bladder and bowel control.

Spinal Stenosis Treatments

Treatment options may include anti-inflammatory pain relievers, such as ibuprofen and aspirin, muscle relaxants, or other pain relief medications. Physical therapy may also be recommended as stretching and adjusting posture may alleviate some pain and help patients get relief from the discomfort associated with spinal stenosis. However, if these methods are not helping relieve your pain, medical procedures are available from your physician, such as:

• Epidural injections
• Nerve blocks
• Spinal Cord Stimulation

Surgical options can include decompression surgery (laminectomy) or laminoplasty. These procedures can be helpful for some people with severe pain. Both create more space between the bones which helps reduce inflammation and pain. There are other surgical interventions which may be less aggressive, but not all patients are good candidates.

When To Call A Doctor

If you believe you may have spinal stenosis now and are experiencing pain, you should see your physician and get help. In the meantime, you can apply ice to the area to reduce inflammation or heat to soothe stiff joints and relax muscles

Resolute Pain Solutions physicians have received extensive training in Pain Management and stay current with new and up-to-date procedures throughout the year. To schedule an appointment, please call (866) 228-7676 or complete the contact form.

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica (sigh-at-eh-kah) is a term used to describe the symptoms of pain such as tingling, numbness, or weakness in the leg. The pain typically begins in the lower back and travels down the buttock and then down the large sciatic nerve in the back of each leg. Although sciatica is not a medical diagnosis, it is a symptom of an underlying medical condition.

What Causes Sciatica?

Common lower back problems such as a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, or spinal stenosis often cause sciatica symptoms.

What Are Symptoms of Sciatica?

Physicians may diagnose a patient with sciatica if they have one or more of the following symptoms:

• Leg pain that is often described as burning, tingling, or numb
• Difficulty moving the leg, foot, and/or toes
• Sharp pain which makes it difficult to stand or walk
• Constant pain on one side of the buttock or leg
• Radiating pain down the leg and possibly into the foot
• Lower back pain

Sciatic pain can vary from infrequent and annoying to constant and debilitating. The sciatic nerve is the largest single nerve in the body and is made up of individual nerve roots which start in the lower back. Symptoms occur when the large nerve is compressed or irritated at or near its point of origin.

How Is Sciatica Treated?

The condition will need to be treated if it is severe with ongoing flare-ups of sciatic nerve pain, so it does not worsen over time. It’s best to share all your symptoms with your physician so the best approach can be made to design a treatment program.

Resolute Pain Solutions physicians have received extensive training in Pain Management, and stay current with new and up-to-date procedures throughout the year. To schedule an appointment, please call (866) 228-7676 or complete the contact form.

There is often confusion when diagnosing neck or back pain since many refer to their discomfort as being a pinched nerve or a herniated disc. The diagnosis is often correct because the two conditions are the most common problem of the pain, but they are both different issues that just happen to occur at the same time.

Typically, a herniated disc occurs in the cervical spine (neck) and the lumbar spine (back). Disc pain tends to most often take place in the lower back (disc herniation lumbar) where most weight-bearing and movement in the spine occurs. A pinched nerve is caused by a herniated disc protrusion pressing against the nerve. In most cases, a herniated disc is not painful, it’s the leaking gel substance, which it contains that pinches, inflames, and irritates the nearby nerve.

A spine is made of twenty-four bones called vertebrae, but the lumbar (lower back) bears most of the weight of the body. In between each of the five lumbar vertebrae (bones) is a disc that acts like a tough fibrous shock-absorbing pad that prevents the vertebrae from rubbing together. A disc is filled with a gel-like center and if the disc ruptures or bulges (bulging disc), the gel substance escapes and causes irritation to the spinal nerves resulting in inflammation, pressure, and pain. Some may also experience leg pain, numbness, and tingling.

The spine contains many nerves, which branch out and travel to various parts of the body. If a bulging disc herniates, it usually presses on the spinal cord or spinal nerves. These nerves pass through small areas between the vertebrae and the discs, so if a herniated disc presses into the area, it can compress (“pinch”) the nerve which results in the pain associated with the herniated disc.

What Causes A Herniated Disc?

A herniation may develop instantly or gradually over weeks or months. Many factors increase the risk such as lifestyle choices, aging, and poor posture. Obesity, inadequate nutrition, and lack of regular exercise, as well as tobacco use, contribute to the condition. As the body ages, biochemical changes can cause the discs to dry out and be less capable to absorb shock from movement. Additionally, body mechanics such as incorrect lifting and twisting combined with daily wear and tear stress the lumbar spine. Rheumatoid arthritis and genetics may also contribute if a family has a history of the problem.

When to seek medical attention for a herniated disc?

It’s important to seek medical attention if one is experiencing numbness, weakness, tingling, extreme burning, or pain. While an x-ray may be able to rule out acute fractures, usually advanced imaging techniques such as a CT or MRI scan are usually needed to determine the presence, location and extent of disc herniation. Sometimes a myelogram (injection of dye) is needed so the physician can view the problem area with more ease.

How Is Disc Herniation Treated?

Disc herniation is most often initially treated with conservative management including a trial of medication and physical therapy. Medications include anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, or nerve pain medications. If this fails, a trial of spinal injections can be offered. “Cortisone epidural” injections are the most common injection utilized for disc herniation. This is usually performed by a trained pain physician and is done in the outpatient setting. Epidural cortisone injections include deposition of a combination of steroids with a local anesthetic under x-ray guidance into/near the area of disc herniation. Sometimes, a series of 3 injections must be performed to achieve maximal benefits.

Often and over time, the herniation will shrink, and the pain will subside and perhaps eventually disappear entirely. If patients fail to respond to conservative management and/or cortisone injections, referral to a spine surgeon may be recommended. Patients who continue to have symptoms and are not a surgical candidate may be offered advanced interventional pain therapies such as spinal cord stimulation.

Resolute Pain Solutions physicians have received extensive training in Pain Management, and stay current with new and up-to-date procedures throughout the year. To schedule an appointment, please call (866) 228-7676 or complete the contact form.