4 Primary Causes of Spinal Stenosis and How It Is Treated

Your body relies on a canal to keep your spine protected. When that canal narrows, it puts pressure on your spinal nerves. Medical professionals call this narrowing spinal stenosis, and it most commonly occurs in your neck (cervical stenosis) or low back (lumbar stenosis).

The pressure stenosis applies to your spinal nerves can cause a range of unwelcome symptoms, from pain and cramping to tingling and numbness. Fortunately, Patrick S. Hill, MD, specializes in spinal stenosis, including cervical stenosis and lumbar spinal stenosis. At our Beverly Grove, Los Angeles, California, office, Dr. Hill can help you find the right treatment to bring you relief.

But first, let’s look at what might be causing your stenosis in the first place. Other than congenital spinal stenosis, which means you were born with a narrow spinal canal, the four primary causes of this issue are:

#1: Osteoarthritis

This type of wear-and-tear arthritis causes the majority of stenosis cases.

When you have osteoarthritis, the cartilage cushioning the joints between your vertebrae breaks down. Your body tries to compensate for this by growing new bone. The resulting bone spurs/bone overgrowth narrow your spinal canal, compressing the nerves and causing your symptoms.

#2: Spinal injuries

Injuries can cause inflammation in your spinal canal. When the surrounding tissue is inflamed, it creates less space in your spinal canal, leading to stenosis.

With some injuries, the stenosis resolves as the area heals. But spinal injuries can be particularly challenging to heal properly, which can lead to longer-term stenosis. Fortunately, a spinal specialist like Dr. Hill can help to guide the healing process.

#3: Disc problems

As you get older, the discs cushioning your vertebrae get dryer and more brittle, causing cracking. That can allow the gel-like substance in the middle of each disc to squeeze out through the cracks, narrowing the spinal canal in that area and putting pressure on the surrounding nerves.

#4: Ligament changes

Ligaments — the tough connective tissue that links your bones to each other — gets stiffer and thicker over time. As the ligament thickens, it can interfere with the space in your spinal canal, causing stenosis.

Treating spinal stenosis

Dr. Hill tailors your stenosis treatment to you. In many cases, he starts with conservative treatment options like:

Physical therapy
Spinal decompression
Medication
Bracing for the area
Steroid injections

This said, if you’re dealing with something like a bone spur or a herniated disc, your symptoms won’t resolve until you address the cause of your stenosis directly.

Dr. Hill specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery using leading-edge robotic systems like ExcelsiusGPS® and MAZOR X STEALTH EDITION™. That allows him to correct your spinal stenosis with extreme precision through tiny incisions, minimizing your risks and downtime.

You don’t have to live with your uncomfortable symptoms. To find out if you have spinal stenosis and explore your treatment options, call our office or schedule your appointment online today.