Stenosis of the Cervical Lumbar & Thoracic Areas of the Spine

A.                 Foraminal Stenosis

B.                 Spinal Stenosis

7A.  Description of Foraminal Stenosis
At every level of the spine the nerves will exit through a small canal. This canal is called the foramen or foraminal canal. Foraminal stenosis is a narrowing of this canal.

Causes of Foraminal stenosis
Constriction of the nerve roots leaving the spine in the foraminal canal is typically caused by bone spurs, a herniated or bulging disc, scar tissue, arthritis or ligament thickening. Foraminal Stenosis can also be caused by enlargement of a joint (the uncinate process) in the spinal canal.

Symptoms of Foraminal Stenosis
Foraminal Stenosis can produce a type of pain called radicular pain which is pain that radiates into the lower extremity (the thigh, calf, and may spread to the foot) directly along the course of a specific spinal nerve root. It is often deep, steady and reproducible with certain activities such as sitting or walking, and follows the involved area of distribution of the leg covered by the specific nerve. It can be accompanied by numbness and tingling, muscle weakness and loss of specific reflexes.

The most common cause of radicular pain is sciatica (pain that radiates along the sciatic nerve - down the back of the thigh and calf into the foot).

Radicular pain is secondary to compression, inflammation and/or injury to a spinal nerve root.

Treatment of Foraminal Stenosis
Unlike many other back or neck conditions, most conservative treatments for foraminal stenosis (such as pain medications or other modalities) are unlikely to be of much benefit. Most often, patients elect back surgery to relieve pressure in the nerve root from foraminal stenosis. Traditional open back surgery has many potential risks and long term negative side effects. Recommended treatment is generally open back surgery, with high risks, hospital stays and lengthy recuperation time.  Now patients have the option of Spinal Decompression and Laser Therapy Program^®…a gentle, affordable and effective non-surgical solution.

7B.  Description of Spinal Stenosis

Lumbar

Spinal Stenosis
is the narrowing of the spinal canal by a piece of bone or disc material. This can cause weakness in your extremities. This narrowing results in pressure on the spinal cord and/or nerves. Spinal stenosis can occur in a variety of ways in the spine. Most cases of spinal stenosis occur in the lower back (lumbar spine) and will affect the sciatic nerve, which runs along the back of the leg.

Causes of Spinal Stenosis

Aging - With age, the body's ligaments (tough connective Click here to learn about your arthroscopic alternative to correct Spinal Stenosis tissues between the bones in the spine) can thicken. Spurs (small growths) may develop on the bones and into the spinal canal. The cushioning disks between the vertebrae may begin to deteriorate. The facet joints (flat surfaces on each vertebra that form the spinal column) also may begin to thicken. Aging with secondary changes is the most common cause of spinal stenosis.

Heredity - If the spinal canal is too small at birth, symptoms of spinal stenosis may show up in a relatively young person.  Structural deformities of the involved vertebrae can cause narrowing of the spinal canal.

Tumors of the spine - Abnormal growths of soft tissue that may affect the spinal canal directly by inflammation or by growth of tissue into the canal. Tissue growth may lead to bone resorption (bone loss due to over activity of certain bone cells) or displacement of bone and the eventual collapse of the supporting framework of the spinal column.

Trauma - Accidents and injuries may either dislocate the spine and the spinal canal or cause burst fractures that produce fragments of bone that penetrate the canal.

Paget's disease of bone - This chronic (long-term) disorder usually results in enlarged and deformed bones. The disease can affect any bone of the body, but is often found in the spine.

Blood supply - The blood supply that feeds healthy nerve tissue may be diverted to the area of involved bone.

Fluorosis - Fluorosis is an excessive level of fluoride in the body. It may result from chronic inhalation of industrial dusts or gases contaminated with fluorides, prolonged ingestion of water containing large amounts of fluorides, or accidental ingestion of fluoride-containing insecticides. The condition may lead to calcified spinal ligaments or softened bones and to degenerative conditions like spinal stenosis.

Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis

Treatment of Spinal Stenosis

Recommended treatment is generally open back surgery, with high risks, hospital stays and lengthy recuperation time.  Now patients have the option of Spinal Decompression and Laser Therapy Program^®…a gentle, affordable and effective non-surgical solution.

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