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New Treatment For Spinal Stenosis

A new procedure for treating spinal stenosis shows great promise for some spinal stenosis sufferers.

A minimally invasive procedure for removing portions of tendons coming into contact with the patient’s spinal cord has provided nearly instantaneous and permanent relief from stenosis pain. But this will work only for some, not all, stenosis patients.

In this procedure, a local anesthesia numbs an area ot the back to enable a small needle with a cutting feature to be inserted into the patient’s back to an area where there is a lumbar decompression caused by a tendon that is touching the spine. The cutting device trims away the portion of the tendon that is touching the spine, and the pain is eliminated. The procedure takes less than an hour, and since only a local anesthesia is required, patients can be discharged within several hours after the procedure. Just like any other out-patient operation.

Not all spinal stenosis can be treated so simply,however, but for those sufferers whose stenosis pain is being caused by this source, this is truly welcome news.

How Do You Know Your Back Pain is Spinal Stenosis?

Spinal stenosis describes the painful form of back pain caused by a narrowing of the spinal canal or a vertebra that comes into contact with the spinal cord resulting in back pain that sometimes radiates through the lower extremities. The symptom of this type of stenosis is leg pain and fatigue that occurs when walking that can only be relieved by sitting down. If this describes your condition, you should contact a specialist.

You must first be diagnosed with spinal stenosis that can only be determined through a MRI. This will determine whether your back pain is in fact being created by your tendon pinching your spinal nerves. If this is determined to be the cause of your back and leg discomfort, it could be your lucky day!

But you must first contact a back pain specialist to see if a MRI is needed.

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What Is Sciatica and What Causes It?

Free Back Pain Relief Guide and Videos

Sciatica is that nerve pain that runs down your leg and is not a condition in itself, but rather a symptom of a condition. It is caused by pressure being placed on the sciatic nerve, but yours is probably being caused by one of the following four conditions:

Causes of Sciatica

1) Piriformis Syndrome-This is the most common cause of sciatic pain and is created when pressure is placed on the sciatic nerve by the piriformis muscle. Muscle imbalances pull the hip joints and pelvis out of place and this change of position typically shortens and tightens the piriformis muscle, which then places pressure on the sciatic nerve.

The sciatic nerve runs under the piriformis muscle the majority of the time. However, it occasionally will run through or around the piriformis muscle. Whatever the case, muscle imbalances will cause major problems and are the underlying cause of piriformis syndrome.

Muscle Imbalance–When a muscle overpowers the opposing muscle, you have a muscle imbalance that pulls them out of theirnormal alignment.When your muscles are out of balance they pull your bones and joints out of their normal position and this places your muscles, bones and joints under constant stress and uneven pressure. For example, the position and curvature of your spine is determined by numerous muscles and whether they are balanced or not… There are over 600 muscles in the human body, nearly all of which have someimpacy on your spine.If just one of these muscles are out of balance you could end up with a sore back or sciatica.

sciatica cause

2) Herrniated or Bulging Discs. Sciatica can also be caused by pressure on the nerve due to a herniated or bulging disc.

A herniation is when a disc protrudes out from between the vertebrae and this can either be caused by an event like a car accident or a football injury, or by months or years of uneven pressure due to muscle imbalances.

Unfortunately, no amount of ultrasound, electrical stimulation, medications, cortisone injections, general exercises or chiropractic adjustments can correct the muscles imbalances that have created your back pain or sciatica.

Herniated discs is probably one of the most common diagnoses for sciatica and often is often used when a doctor can’t find an explanation for the person’s pain… similar to a doctor explaining away various aches and pains as arthritis.

In addition,research indicates that in many cases, some people live with herniated discs yet never have any back pain or symptoms. The point is, if you’ve been diagnosed with a herniated or bulging disc, it may not be what’s really causing your back pain. Even if you’ve had x-rays and MRI’s done that show a herniated disc, chances are still very good that it’s not the problem. The real "problem" is what caused your herniated or bulging disc. Unless your successful in answering this question, odds are your sciatica will remain.And nearly every herniated disc problem is the result of muscle imbalances.

3) Spinal Stenosis. Sciatica can also be caused by pressure on the nerve due to a narrowing of the spinal canal. There are
several possible conditions that lead to spinal stenosis:

Aging–With age, the body’s ligaments (tough connective tissues between the bones in the spine)can thicken. Spurs (small growths) may develop on the bones and into the spinal canal. The facet joints(flat surfaces on each vertebra that form the spinal column) also may begin to thicken.

Trauma—Accidents and injuries may either dislocate the spine and the spinal canal or cause burst. Fractures that produce fragments of bone that penetrate the canal.

Heredity—If the spinal canal is too small at birth, symptoms of spinal stenosis may show up in a relatively young person. Structural deformities of the involved vertebrae can cause narrowing of the spinal canal.

Fluorosis—Fluorosis is an excessive level of fluoride in the body. It may result from chronicinhalation of industrial dusts or gases contaminated with fluorides, prolonged ingestion of water containing large amounts of fluorides, or accidental ingestion of fluoride-containing insecticides. The condition may lead to calcified spinal ligaments or softened bones and to degenerative conditions like spinal stenosis.

The most important thing you can do if you are certain you have spinal stenosis is to ensure that you maintain as close to normal curvature in the spine. The more your spine is pulled out of place the tighter the space gets in the spinal canal. Again, identifying and addressing muscle imbalances is crucial.

4) Isthmic Spondylolisthesis. Sciatica can also be caused by Isthmic spondylolisthesis, yet is much less common. Spondylolisthesis occurs when one vertebrae slips forward and places pressure on the adjacent vertebrae. This condition
will produce both a gradual deterioration of the vertebrae in the lower spine and can also cause a narrowing of the spinal canal.

If abnormal motion allows this vertebrae to move back and forth nerves in the spinal canal may be affected causing pain, numbness, tingling or weakness in the legs. Many individuals who have this condition may not have symptoms while others may experience long term back pain and or sciatica.

Spondylolisthesis is most common in the lower spine. The most common cause is degenerative disease (like arthritis) and the slip usually occurs between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae where there is the most curvature in the spine. Muscle imbalances play a major role in two ways:

1. Degenerative diseases like arthritis are much more common in areas of the body where there is uneven pressure and wear and tear.

2. Muscle imbalances increase the amount of curvature in the lower spine making this condition much more likely to come about.

Other causes of spondylolisthesis include stress fractures (which are often caused by repetitive hyper-extension of the back, commonly seen in gymnasts), and traumatic fractures. Spondylolisthesis may also occasionally be associated with bone diseases. As with the other three conditions, muscle
imbalances have a lot to do with spondylolisthesis.

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Published by Stenosis Advisor

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What Causes Sciatica?

These herniated discs then compress the nerves and cause pain. In most cases, sciatic pain only occurs on one side of the leg. Besides herniated discs, there are other causes of which include the following: sciatica…

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It is not always clear just why and how your sciatic nerve pain may have come about. In fact, even a complete medical exam may not reveal the cause. Oftentimes MRI, xrays and other scans are needed to determine the cause or causes.

Sciatica Causes, Diagnosis, Symptoms, Treatment

Sciatica (Sciatic Nerve Pain) Causes, Diagnosis, Symptoms, Treatment Read about sciatica pain causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. Sciatic nerve irritation causes pain that radiates down the leg from the low back or buttocks.

Main Causes of Back Pain

Free Back Pain Relief eBook and Videos

This article looks at the main causes of Sciatica and helps you identify which one may be causing your back pain.Sciatica is a condition where pressure is placed on the sciatic nerve, causing localized back pain. There are four main causes for Sciatica.

1. Piriformis Syndrome. This condition is where an imbalance in the muscles leads to the hips and pelvis being out of alignment. This imbalance ultimately shortens and tightens the piriformis muscle, with in turn puts pressure on the sciatic nerve. With over six hundred muscles in the body, all it takes is 1 to be out of balance and you have a problem.When we talk about a muscle imbalance, we mean that one side is stronger than the other, which effectively pulls the other side (and the bones and joints) out of place.

2. Herniated discs. A herniated disc is where a disc sticks out from between the vertebra. You guessed it already — it’s caused by a muscle imbalance and resulting pressure over time leads to this condition. You may also have guessed that no amount of chiropractic work, drugs, injections or stimulation can correct a muscle imbalance. Sadly, many people struggle with back pain for years because they never get to the underlying problem of why the disc became herniated in the first place.

3. Spinal stenosis. Spinal stenonis is a condition where the spinal canal narrows and pressure is placed on the nerves and there are four main causes.

1)Aging: the aging process effects the ligaments between vertebra and also the facet joints of the spinal column by making them harden. Spurs can also develop on the bones.

2)Trauma: car accidents, lifting injuries, etc, can damage the delicate spine and spinal canal.

3)Heredity: A small spinal canal or other structural problem can lead to spinal stenosis in a young person.

4)Fluorosis: caused by over-exposure to chemicals or other fluoride containing materials and leads to a softening of the bones or hardening of the ligaments.

4. Isthmic Spondylolisthesis. This is where one vertebra slips out of position and effectively moves in and out of place, which causes pain in the nerves of the spinal canal. It is primarily caused by degenerative diseases like arthritis and in the area where there is the most curvature of the spine.

So there you have it, the four main causes of Sciatica.

The next step to permanent relief from back pain is to identify the muscle imbalances. Once they have been determined, then you must take the right steps towards correcting them. You now have a great understanding of just how back pain develops, so you are in a much better position to formulate a strategy for recovery than 95% of everyone else out there.

Published by Stenosis Advisor

Although very rare, there are some more serious causes of back pain, such as infections and tumors.

Sciatica From a Herniated Disc

I have a herniated disc at L5-S1, causing sciatica down my right leg. I have had some success with physical therapy, but some of the exercises, such as stretching the piriformis muscle, are causing leg pain. Are the piriformis stretching exercises important for … 1999-2009 Spine-health.com.

Upper Back Pain Causes and Treatments

Upper backwards discompose is as agonized or troublesome as the discompose in the lower backwards or the neck. An trauma or a lineage is the most common reason for the discompose in the bunk portion of our backs.

Spine Specialists and Exercise for a Bulging Disc

The discs may be generating your pain due to a lower back condition, such as degenerative disc disease, but you really need a more accurate diagnosis to identify your pain generator.

Spinal Stenosis Pain

Honest & Understandable Info on Spinal Stenosis Pain written by a recovered patient.

Back Pain Might Be Spinal Stenosis

If you are mifddle-aged or older and have developed some serious back pain, it might actually be spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis is caused by an arthritic narrowing of the spinal canal which results in the spinal chord rubbing the side …

When to See a Surgeon for Spinal Stenosis

When should a patient have surgery for spinal stenosis rather than manage symptoms through conservative and non-surgical care? This article addresses the issue surrounding surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis.

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Upper Back Pain Causes

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Upper Back Pain Causes

Back pain is in general a common problem that every one faces. It is a vulnerable problem that a person of any age experiences. Children, Adults, Pregnant woman, or a person of old age can also face the back pain problem. There may be several factors behind your back pain problem as it is not restricted only to one particular reason. And so people needs to face loads of trouble during back pain to cure it. Your prime duty is to know the causes and take some preventive measures so that you need not feel the pain during backache.

There can be varied causes for back pain:
Lumbar Muscle Strain: Straining of muscles is the most common cause of low back pain. Chances are bright in this case that a patient may completely feel relieve from muscle strain.

Spondylolisthesis: In this case the adjacent vertebra becomes unbalanced and begins to ‘slip’ which causes back pain and if it still prolongs then back pain can turn to be a serious problem.

Osteoporosis: A patient needs to face this problem because of compression fracture of the vertebra. You may face orthopedic problem and much of uneasiness too. It also leads to feeble bones.

Ruptured Disc: It is also called as Herniated Disc which causes back pain. The treatment of herniated disc depends and differs on an individual’s condition and circumstances. It is incorrectly being called in general as ‘Slipped Disc’, affecting the spine, in which a tear in the outer, fibrous ring of an intervertebral disc allows the soft, central portion to bulge out. Herniated Discs are found in S of adults older than 20.

Spinal Stenosis: This is a medical condition in which the spinal canal narrows and compresses the spinal cord and nerve. In the aging population, when the spinal canal becomes too stiff then it can result into back pain. A patient suffering under this situation may even feel minor trauma causing irritation and nerve root impingement which indirectly results into back ache.

There are many of causes of back ache that can put you into serious health trouble. For acute back pain the underlying cause is meniscoid occlusion. You may get startled to know that the lower back pain causes also differ as per the person’s age. Some of the common causes of back pain for adults under age 50 include spinal disc, herniation and degenerative disc disease or isthmic spondylolisthesis. And for adults over age 50 include osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) and spinal stenosis, trauma, cancer, infection, fractures, and inflammatory disease.

Thus, to cure your back pain you need to practice exercises regularly. Collect information to know back pain causes and if the situation worsens then it is highly recommended to consult doctor for the betterment of your health.

Published by Stenosis Advisor

Finding the Reason For Back Pain

There is also a condition called spinal stenosis, in which the vertebrae can become constricted as a result of the aging process.

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

There are no good studies currently available that directly compare the X-stop procedure to the traditional surgical treatment for spinal stenosis, a decompressive laminectomy (an open decompression). .

What Causes Lower Back Pain?

Acquired conditions and diseases: Medical problems can bring forth back pain. Examples are scoliosis, a curvate of the spine (spine deformity), arthritis, osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis.

Back Pain – Causes, Types and Exercises

Pain due to compression of a spinal nerve root may be due to such disorders as a herniated disk, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, spinal stenosis, or Paget’s disease.

Back pain tips with Dr. Myles Dixon

I have multiple back problems and am in almost constant pain. I have degenerative disc disease, arthritis, spinal stenosis and sciatica, plus arthritis in my feet..

By: Bella Mclaine

Bella Mclaine is a specialist researcher and plays a contributory role in providing full information on Back pain , On one of the website she has written extensively about Back pain is backpainall.com.

Spinal Stenosis Information

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Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis is a condition that involves both the bony structures and the nerves of the spine.

The bony structures of the spine are the vertebrae. They provide structure for our bodies and protect the spinal cord, which carries messages between the brain and body. There are about 33 interlocking vertebrae and they are articulated in a way that provides support for the chest and abdomen while allowing us the flexibility to twist and bend. The spine has two forward curvescervical and lumbarand two backward curvesthoracic and sacral, which help it absorb mechanical stress.

The spinal cord travels through the spinal canal from the head to the lower back. The posterior longitudinal ligament lines the canal between the spinal cord and the back of the vertebrae, providing additional support and protection for the spinal cord. All messages between the brain and body are carried by the spinal cord in a top-down fashion. If the spinal cord is severed, you lose all sensation and function below the injury.

A pair of spinal nerves leaves the spine between each pair of vertebrae. They split off of the spinal cord and innervate the structures parallel to that vertebra. The nerves pass out of the spinal canal through the neural canal and exit the spine through the space between vertebrae.

Whenever the spinal canal or one of the neural canals is narrowed or obstructed, you have spinal stenosis. The symptoms of spinal stenosis depend on which nerve or nerves are being affected.

Cervical spinal stenosis occurs in the neck and can involve either the cord or spinal nerves. If spinal nerves are involved, you will have pain, numbness, tingling and/or weakness of the neck, shoulders and/or arms. If the cord is involved, you may also have symptoms affecting your legs, usually uncoordinated movement and difficulty walking.

Thoracic stenosis is rare because there is less curvature in the thoracic spine, what is spinal stenosis? and therefore less stress on the joints between vertebrae. The spinal canal is normally narrower in the thoracic spine, however, so it takes less obstruction to cause symptoms.

Lumbar stenosis is common, and involves the lower back. Lumbar stenosis causes pain in the lower back and leg and may also cause weakness in one or both legs.

Spinal stenosis can be caused by narrowing of the spinal canal, narrowing or obstruction of the neural canal or narrowing or obstruction of the space between vertebrae. Stenosis can be congenital or it can be caused by injury, tumor, medical conditions or degenerative changes due to aging.

In the early stages, anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy and other medical measures take care of the symptoms. Ultimately, the only way to correct spinal stenosis is with surgery to relieve pressure on the nerves.

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Spinal Pain

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Spinal stenosis occurs with the spinal canal narrows to the point that it begins to press on the spinal nerves. This can cause pain and nerve problems, such as weakness in the area below the nerve level. …

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Examples are scoliosis, a curvate of the spine (spine deformity), arthritis, osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis. It matters not how much you think you are aware regarding Back Pain information like …

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Stenosis Advisor

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