Spinal Stenosis

Stenosis is most common in the lower back and neck. It can cause a range of symptoms, including pain and numbness, difficulty walking, problems with bladder and bowel function, and weakness. We treat the full range of spine conditions, which is an important consideration because stenosis can be caused by degenerative disc disease, spinal arthritis, or trauma such as a spine fracture or spine cancer.

Spinal stenosis treatment often begins with nonsurgical options, with surgery as a later consideration.

Medications
Your doctor may recommend prescription medications to treat nerve damage caused by stenosis. A medication regimen may be coupled with physical therapy.

Physical Therapy
A trained physical therapist guides you in exercises and stretching designed to strengthen your back, improve your balance and flexibility, and increase your range of motion -- all outcomes that can alleviate your pain and the pressure on your nerves. Physical therapy may be recommended both before and after surgery.

Spine Injections
Epidural steroid injections treat inflammation and pain right at the source -- your nerve roots. Your doctor numbs your skin and places a needle into the epidural space in your spine, using X-rays to help guide the needle. You’ll feel pressure during this procedure. The medicine usually begins working within a few days to a week. You’ll be able to return to normal activities the following day. We give these injections in a special, sterile suite.

Alternative Treatments
During acupuncture, our acupuncturist uses fine needles placed strategically in your skin to relieve pain. Massage therapy manipulates muscles to relax them, ease tension, and improve blood flow and circulation. These treatments may be offered as a complement to your regular treatment plan, not as a substitute.

Lumbar Decompression Surgery
Decompression surgery relieves pain and pressure from pinched nerves by creating more room in the spinal canal. In some cases, minimally invasive lumbar decompression (or MILD) may be possible. This surgery is performed using general anesthesia and is made up of two parts. First, the affected lamina (back part of the vertebra) is removed in a procedure called a laminotomy or laminectomy. Next, the surgeon removes a small portion of the bone over the nerve root and possibly part of the disc under the nerve root -- these are called a foraminotomy and a microdiscectomy, respectively. Depending on how involved the surgery is, it can last for one or two hours. You may be able to go home the same day, or you might need to stay in the hospital for two or three nights.

Spinal Fusion Surgery
Usually reserved for people whose stenosis has caused instability in the spine, spinal fusion stabilizes the spine with rods and screws and fuses two or more vertebrae together. Whenever possible, we use the least-invasive techniques available so that you can recover faster and experience less pain and fewer complications.

Highly Experienced Spine Center
Research shows that hospitals and surgeons who perform more surgeries tend to have better outcomes. Our surgical team performs more than 3,000 spine surgeries every year and sees over 30,000 patients.

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgeries
Whenever possible, we use advanced minimally invasive procedures. Using high-powered microscopes and tiny instruments, surgeons can access the spine through small incisions. This technique limits muscle damage, results in less pain, and helps you recover faster. 

Operating Room Technology
Our ORs are equipped with real-time imaging options that give spine surgeons detailed, 3D pictures and video of your spine. These systems can decrease the need for extra imaging after surgery, exposing you to less radiation. OR staff also use a sophisticated sensor navigation system that helps them avoid vital nerves and other structures. This allows for more surgical accuracy than ever before.

A Team of Specialists
In addition to neurosurgeons and orthopaedic surgeons, your team may include physiatrists (physical medicine and rehabilitation doctors who specialize in conservative spine care), physical therapists, psychologists, pain management experts, and others -- all of whom work with you to alleviate the pain caused by your stenosis or myelopathy.