How is Cervical Spinal Stenosis Fixed

The spinal cord descends from the neck to the lower back in the spine, encircled and protected by vertebrae and spinal discs. The cavity through which th spinal cord passes is the spinal canal. When the spinal canal becomes more narrow than usual, spinal stenosis occurs. Spinal stenosis can cause nerve compression and other problems, resulting in pain, muscle weakness, or numbness. 

Cervical spinal stenosis is stenosis that occurs within the neck, or cervical spine. Cervical spinal stenosis has the potential to be more serious than spinal stenosis in the lower back, so effective treatment is especially important.

Causes

Cervical spinal stenosis can be caused by a number of conditions. Some possible causes include: 

• Degenerative disc disease
• Bulging disc
• Herniated disc
• Bone spurs
• Spondylolisthesis
• Spinal tumor (rare)

These diverse conditions cause very similar symptoms in most cases. Therefore, the physician will use medical imaging as well as physical examination to make a diagnosis. 

Importance of Treatment

Spinal stenosis can result in significant pain and other problems which make it difficult to maintain your quality of life or participate in the same activities you used to. Your overall health can decline due to cervical spinal stenosis, making treatment is important. 

In rare cases, cervical spinal stenosis can be extremely serious. The neck contains nerves that go to every part of the body, including the arms and legs. If the stenosis is severe and getting progressively worse, there is a potential for it to cause paralysis and other serious disability. Therefore, prompt treatment is essential.

Potential Treatments 

Fortunately, the treatment of spinal stenosis has come a long way in recent years. Mild cases of stenosis can often be treated non-surgical, with methods like physical therapy and medication. These treatments are designed to improve alignment, reduce inflammation, and increase functionality. They do not address the underlying cause, but are very effective in controlling symptoms. Non-surgical treatment is preferable whenever it's appropriate. 

Severe cases and cases that don't respond to other treatments may require surgery. A number of minimally invasive spine surgery procedures have been developed in recent years, allowing patients who qualify to get effective surgical treatment without going through very invasive procedures. Laser spine surgery is one example of a minimally invasive procedure with a wide range of applications.

Dr. Sukdeb Datta provides the best treatment for cervical spinal stenosis in New York. Dr. Datta would be happy to meet with you about your back pain. To schedule a consultation today, please click below and enter your information or call the Datta Endoscopic Back Surgery and Pain Center at (212) 430-0312.