Symptoms of lumbar spine stenosis or lumbar canal stenosis can range from mild to severe and make it hard to go about your daily life. It can cause cramping and pain in your legs when walking or standing for long periods. Go through this article to learn more about this spinal condition and lumbar canal stenosis treatment in Mumbai.
The lower back, or lumbar spine, has five vertebrae in the spine’s lower area, between the pelvis and ribs. Lumbar canal stenosis is a narrowing of your spinal canal with nerve compression extending from the lower spine to the legs. While it might affect younger people because of developmental causes, it is more like a degenerative spine condition that mainly affects older people.
Spinal canal narrowing generally occurs slowly and is a progressive spinal condition. The sponginess of your discs reduces, leading to a loss of disc height and possibly causing hardened disc bulging in the spinal canal. Bone spurs might also occur, and your ligaments might thicken. All these aspects can cause lumbar canal stenosis and might or might not produce symptoms.
Symptoms might be due to nerve compression or inflammation.
Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of lumbar canal stenosis.
The diagnosis is made by a neurosurgeon based on a physical examination, history, symptoms, and test results.
X-Ray
This sends radiation through your body to make an image that can show how your spine is aligned, how your joints look, and how your bones are put together.
CT scan
This makes pictures by putting together several X-rays. It can show the size and shape of the spinal canal, as well as its detailed structures and contents.
MRI
This makes pictures by using a computer and strong magnets. It can show detailed pictures of your spinal cord as well as tumors, degeneration, and growth.
Myelogram
Inserts contrast dye into the cerebrospinal fluid to reveal the spinal cord and nerves. This test can reveal any pressure affecting your spine.
Managing pain with a combination of exercise, stretching, good posture, and medicine can be very helpful for many patients. Bone-strengthening endeavors, weight management, and nicotine cessation might also be recommended.
Anti-inflammatory drugs can be taken to reduce pain and swelling, and analgesics can be used to ease the pain. Pain can be reduced with the help of non-prescription drugs, but if your pain is consistent and serious, prescription medicines might be provided.
Epidural injections might be prescribed to reduce swelling.
Exercise and physiotherapy might help to protect and stabilize your spine, increase flexibility, and build endurance. Therapy might help you return to your normal routine. Usually, five to six weeks of physiotherapy are recommended.
If the above non-surgical treatments don’t help relieve your symptoms, your doctor will recommend surgery. At the One Spine Clinic in Mumbai, there are different surgeries that can be done. Depending on your spinal condition, our spine specialists will decide which surgery might be best for you.
The most common surgery for lumbar canal stenosis is decompressive laminectomy, in which your vertebral roof is detached to make more space for your nerves. A laminectomy could be done with or without taking out the disc or fusing the vertebrae. A spinal fusion surgery might be used to improve the fusion and support unstable spine areas.
The benefits of surgery must always be weighed against the risks and problems that come with surgery and anesthesia. But a few people with lumbar canal stenosis who went to One Spine Clinic for surgery say it helped a lot with their pain. However, there is no guarantee that these surgeries will help everyone.
One Spine Clinic has been offering pain management, therapies, procedures, and surgeries that treat the main cause of a patient’s spine problem and give long-lasting relief. Our motive is to offer the best spinal treatments to all our patients, and our highly experienced team of spine specialists makes sure you receive the best lumbar canal stenosis treatment in Mumbai.