Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment
What is Spinal Stenosis
Spinal Stenosis is a narrowing of one or more canals or openings in the spine – most often noted in the neck or lower back. This narrowing can put pressure on the spinal cord or nerves that branch out from the compressed areas.
Spinal Stenosis can cause cramping, pain or numbness in the legs, back, neck, shoulder or arms; a loss of sensation in the extremities; and sometimes in its advanced form, problems with bladder or bowel function. Spinal Stenosis is most commonly caused by untreated osteoarthritis-related bone damage and degeneration.
Spinal Stenosis is most common in men and women over 50 years of age. However, it may occur in younger people who are born with a narrowing of the spinal canal or who suffer an injury to the spine.
There are two types of spinal stenosis: cervical and lumbar stenosis. In case of a cervical stenosis, the narrowing occurs in the part of the spine in your neck, while lumbar stenosis is located in the part of the spine in your lower back. The second type of stenosis is the most common one.
Causes of Spinal Stenosis
- Arthritis – leading cause for spinal stenosis is overgrowth of bone caused mainly by arthritis, osteoarthritis and Paget’s disease. Arthritis is a condition that develops when your cartilage – the softer, cushiony material between your bones – breaks down and there is a growth of bone tissue.
- Injuries to ligaments leading to calcium deposits and thickening of spinal ligaments.
- Tumors
- Herniated Discs – cracked cushions may easily seep out and press on the spinal cord or nerves.
- Congenital spinal Stenosis – many people are born with spinal stenosis or some disease that will later lead to it. In this case, the condition starts to cause problems between the ages of 30 and 50.
Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis
- Pain or cramping in the legs
- Radiating back and hip pain
- Pain in the neck and shoulders
- Tingling or numbness in the extremities
- Weakness – if the neck is the affected area (cervical spine), the weakness is in your hand, arm, foot or leg, while if the lower back is affected (lumbar spine), the weakness is in your foot or leg.
- Loss of balance, hard time standing or walking.
- Loss of bowel or bladder function
- Sciatica – The aching pain in travels from the lower back or buttocks, down to your leg.
How is Spinal Stenosis Diagnosed?
Medical History
Spinal Stenosis diagnostic process starts with discussing your medical history with the doctor and proceeds with a physical exam.Your doctor will ask you several questions about your symptoms, past conditions and treatments. After that, your doctor will perform physical examination to check the origin of the symptoms. You might be asked to perform some maneuvers to help the doctor rule out other causes of the pain.
Diagnostic Tests
Spinal Stenosis is diagnosed with imaging tests. Your doctor will request an X-ray of your back. Even though an X-ray doesn’t reveal damages or changes in the soft tissues – muscles, discs, and ligaments – the test will reveal bony changes. You might have bone spurts that are narrowing the space within the spinal canal.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most accurate diagnostic method for Spinal Stenosis. This test will show any pressuring on the nerves in the spinal canal, detect damage to your discs and ligaments and determine presence of tumors.
CT or CT myelogram. If you cannot have an MRI, your doctor may recommend computerized tomography (CT), a test that combines X-ray images taken from many different angles to produce detailed, cross-sectional images of your body. In a CT myelogram, the CT scan is conducted after a contrast dye is injected. The dye outlines the spinal cord and nerves, and it can reveal herniated discs, bone spurs and tumors.
Treatment for Spinal Stenosis
There are many different types of treatments available. All claim that they can treat the neck pain, back pain, or shoulder pain resulting from Spinal Stenosis, however, to date there is no scientific evidence that any of those treatments can address the root cause of your neck pain, back pain or shoulder pain. Here are some of the most common treatments for spinal stenosis:
- Medications – commonly used medications for this condition are pain medications (Advil, Motrin B) that should temporarily ease the discomfort of Spinal Stenosis. Other medications include nightly doses of antidepressants, as well as anti-seizure drugs and opioids.
- Exercise and physical therapy – avoiding physical activity will lead to muscle weakness in patients suffering from spinal stenosis. Physical therapy is used to maintain the flexibility of the spine, build up strength and endurance and improve balance.
- Steroid Injections – steroid injections not only don’t work for anyone, but can cause many side effects. For example, use of steroid medications is not intended to fix the stenosis but reduce inflammation and relieve the pain. However, repeated use of steroid treatment may weaken your nearby bones and connective tissue.
Many of these treatments provide temporary relief or merely mask your symptoms. None of them work to reverse the underlying conditions which are the source of your pain.
KKT, on the other hand, utilizes “Quantum Waves” which can gently restore your spine back to its original position. This will allow many of the muscles, ligaments and nerves which have been abnormally positioned to return to their normal positions. This will eliminate the neck pain you were feeling due to the malpositioning. Scientific studies have shown that “Quantum Waves” can also stimulate spinal tissues and prevent long term degeneration. Currently there is no treatment modality which can provide such benefit.
KKT International has devoted a tremendous amount of resources in developing a treatment modality that is effective and evidence-based. We are the only treatment modality that has been proven through careful and systematic research and clinical studies to provide proven and lasting results to neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain. The success of the KKT Treatment lies in the fact that KKT utilizes patented and sophisticated technology which can address the underlying cause of the pain, rather than simply masking the symptoms.
- Spinal Surgery – Spinal surgery is only reserved for particularly severe cases (disability) and is performed when other treatments haven’t helped the patient. The surgery is performed to relieve the pressure on your spinal cord or nerves. The surgeon will create more space within the spinal canal and remove the issues that lead to stenosis. However, leading spinal surgeons will only use surgery as a last options because of its severe side-effects (paralysis). If your condition causes a severe neck or back pain and you need surgery to solve it, than unfortunately the KKT Treatment may not be right for you. However, many times individuals are told they need surgery, when in fact they don’t. So, to avoid getting the wrong treatment advice, our KKT Specialist can help you determine whether or not you are truly a candidate for surgery. Regardless, many times our treatment can help in case of persistent neck pain, back pain or shoulder pain even after the surgery.
If you are concerned about any of the signs and symptoms above, a comprehensive diagnostic assessment by a KKT physician will show if you require treatment. Click here to find your nearest KKT clinic and book an appointment.
TESTIMONIAL
Over the past years I developed pain in my arms and legs, which was very tiring. I had two notable falls which resulted in my being incapacitated for a few weeks at a time due to pain and stiffness. Some of the top specialists in the world told me that I would have no choice, but to have spinal stenosis surgery.
Due to the fact that there are no guarantees with surgery and the risks are obvious, I started looking to other options, within a few days of KKT my posture started changing back to normal and my legs and arms felt like they were coming back to life. I had more mobility.
Today I can walk straight and no longer require a cane to get around. I spent 16 weeks dedicated to KKT. It has been well worthwhile. I never expected that I would be able to walk like I do today even again. All doctors told me I would have to accept the inevitable gradual demise. Today every one of my doctors, friends and family are in absolute shock to see my progress.
-Mr. M. Sidhu.