Spinal Stenosis

Spinal Stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal. The diagram above shows the vertebra and the canal located in the center. The canal is really a long tube created by the hole or canal in the middle of each of the vertebrae. These vertebrae that form your spine are stacked on top of one another. The canal gets smaller because parts that make up the front, back or sides of the canal start to grow, thicken or bulge into the open canal space. Similar to you standing on a garden hose the whole or space inside the hose gets smaller or stenotic (stenosis).

The spinal nerves that go to your legs are located in your canal and when the space becomes smaller it can pinch them. Patients complain of low back pain, along with pain, numbness and weakness in one or both legs with spinal stenosis. Commonly their pain is worse with standing and walking and relieved by bending over or sitting. The pain can become unrelenting and the mental and physical toll this puts on those who suffer with spinal stenosis should not be understated.

How Do We Treat Spinal Stenosis?

Because Spinal Stenosis can involve poor muscle support, spinal alignment, loss of normal low back curve (bad posture), spinal flexibility along with the other factors discussed above – an effective treatment program must address each of these problems. Spinal surgery is just not the best choice for most spinal stenosis patients.

At Pain Care Specialists of Oregon, we know how to treat Spinal Stenosis. Our multidisciplinary approach incorporates state-of-the-art medical technology and the finest healthcare expertise to return you to a pain-free and active lifestyle. Medications – NSAID’s (Ibuprofen like drugs), membrane stabilizing drugs and other analgesics are often used in the management of pain associated with sciatica. Other procedures including epidural steroid injections may provide better results. Our doctors and staff specialize in treating pain and the disorders that cause pain.

Whatever the cause of your neck or back pain, the professionals at Pain Care Specialists of Oregon will diagnose and treat it using cutting-edge technology and the finest medical attention.

If you are experiencing lower back pain, please contact us to help relieve your pain and cure its cause.