Spinal Stenosis

APEX Spine and Neurosurgery

Neurosurgery & Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery located in Bethlehem, Columbus, and Suwanee, GA.

Your chance of developing spinal stenosis increases as you get older, as it affects five out of every 1,000 adults over the age of 50. But the condition can also develop in young and middle-aged adults. The experienced physicians at Apex Spine and Neurosurgery treat spinal stenosis in adults of all ages, offering conservative therapies, as well as skilled minimally invasive procedures and surgery using advanced techniques. If you have questions about your back or neck pain, call one of the offices in Alpharetta, Bethlehem, Columbus, and Suwanee, Georgia, or book an appointment online.

Spinal Stenosis Q & A

What causes spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis develops when the area inside the spinal canal narrows. Since the spinal nerves travel through the canal, stenosis typically results in pinched nerves.

You can develop spinal stenosis after an injury. However, it’s most often caused by an underlying condition such as:

Herniated discs
Facet joint arthritis
Bone spurs
Thickened ligaments
Degenerative disc disease
Slipped vertebra (spondylolisthesis)

These conditions lead to a narrowing of the canal as they protrude into the canal or cause misaligned vertebrae.

What symptoms develop due to spinal stenosis?

A pinched nerve can cause symptoms that travel along the length of the nerve, radiating into your arms or legs, depending on the location of the affected nerve. One well-known example is sciatica, which occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed and causes sharp pain that shoots down one leg.

With spinal stenosis, you may experience symptoms such as:

Pain in your neck or back
Pain that radiates down your arms or legs
Tingling or numbness in your arms or legs
Weakness or tiredness in your arms or legs
Leg cramping
Hand weakness
Difficulty walking

Spinal stenosis can develop anywhere along the spine, but it most often occurs in the lumbar spine (lower back).

How is spinal stenosis treated?

During your first visit, your Apex Spine and Neurosurgery provider reviews your medical history and symptoms, performs a physical exam, and orders diagnostic imaging tests, such as X-rays, an MRI, and a myelogram.

Your initial treatment may include anti-inflammatory medications, activity modification, physical therapy, and posture correction. Some patients may need an epidural steroid injection to provide more pain relief than oral medications.

If your pain persists, your provider may recommend surgery to repair the underlying problem. For example, you may need a discectomy or microdiscectomy to treat herniated or degenerated discs, or surgery to remove bone spurs.

Your provider can recommend several procedures to achieve spinal decompression. One option, a laminectomy, involves removing a small section of the vertebra to give the nerves extra space.

After surgery to decompress the nerves or repair the underlying problem, you may need a spinal fusion or artificial disc replacement to restore stability to your spine.

If you have persistent neck or back pain, call Apex Spine and Neurosurgery, or schedule an appointment online.

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