Whether you are a patient suffering from spinal stenosis, or a doctor treating a patient with spinal stenosis, there are several treatment options you can choose from. Here are a few to consider:
Physical therapy
Symptoms of spinal stenosis can be very painful, but physical therapy can help to alleviate them. It can also teach patients to avoid positions that cause them pain.
The goal of a physical therapy program for spinal stenosis is to decompress the spinal cord. The treatment plan will be customized for each individual patient. The treatment may include stretching exercises, movement training, aerobic exercise, strengthening exercises, and massage.
Depending on the severity of the symptoms, surgery may be necessary. If surgery is not necessary, physical therapy can improve the function and reduce pain. Several physical therapy programs can be customized to suit each patient’s needs.
During the treatment process, a physical therapist will conduct a thorough physical examination to determine the cause of the symptoms. This includes checking for nerve compression, the presence of a tumor, and bone spurs. During the examination, a physical therapist will also educate the patient on how to properly hold their body upright. The physical therapist will also teach the patient exercises to improve muscle endurance and posture.
ESI
ESI spinal stenosis treatment can be beneficial in the short term, but there are some concerns with long-term results. Some studies show better results with epidural steroid injections, while others show better outcomes for nonsurgically treated patients. This study sought to clarify the differences between patients who receive ESIs before surgery and patients who receive surgery after ESIs.
Patients were compared for operative time, length of stay, and overall clinical outcome measures. Patients who received ESIs had longer operative time and longer hospital stays. Patients in the ESI group also had higher crossover rates to surgery. However, these differences were not statistically significant.
Patients who received ESIs also had lower pain scores at the time of surgery. This may be related to the exposure to steroids in the preoperative period. Although the administration of steroids does not seem to negatively affect function, it could affect the rate of adhesions. This may cause opportunistic infections.
The authors also found that patients who received ESIs had less improvement after surgery. The authors speculated that the difference between the two groups may be due to a higher rate of refractory pain symptoms at the time of surgery.
Surgery
Surgical treatment for spinal stenosis is often successful. It provides relief for patients suffering from chronic pain. However, patients need to be aware of the risks and side effects of surgery.
One of the most common surgeries for spinal stenosis is laminectomy. In this surgery, the surgeon removes a portion of the lamina, the bony portion of the vertebral body that forms a roof over the spinal cord. Laminectomy may be performed unilaterally or bilaterally.
Another common surgery is foraminotomy. In this surgery, the surgeon removes bone in the foramen, the opening of the vertebra that passes through which nerves travel. This surgery is often done along with laminectomy to relieve spinal nerve compression.
In some cases, spinal fusion is needed. During this procedure, screws or rods are placed to fix the vertebrae. The fusion will stabilize the spine and prevent spinal stenosis from occurring again.
Other surgeries include discectomy. During this surgery, the surgeon removes a portion of the bulging disc. This surgery relieves pressure on nerves that lie near the disk.
Alternative treatments
Fortunately, there are alternative treatments for spinal stenosis. In addition to traditional treatment, there are other methods that can help reduce the severity of pain and inflammation. These methods may also be used in combination with more invasive therapies.
Some alternative treatments for spinal stenosis include massage therapy and chiropractic care. The goal of chiropractic treatment is to increase mobility and improve the body’s physical function. Chiropractic treatment uses trained specialists who apply controlled forces to the spinal joint.
Massage therapy may be used as an adjunct therapy to regular medical care. It can be a cost-effective alternative to more invasive therapies.
In addition, chiropractic treatment may be effective in treating lumbar spinal stenosis. The most common form of surgery for spinal stenosis involves laminectomy, which involves the removal of bone spurs and ligaments in the spinal column.
Another treatment is non-invasive non-surgical decompression. This is a type of decompression that should be tried before surgery. The surgery may provide temporary relief, but a non-surgical method can provide lasting relief.
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