A Small Injury In A Neck Can Lead To Cervical Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis refers to the narrowing that affect the spinal canal with age or due to some injury. The spinal cord suffers from excessive pressure. Stenosis in the lower regions of the spinal cord is generally referred to as lumbar stenosis. If the upper regions of the spinal cord is affected, it is called cervical stenosis. There are other types of spinal canal stenosis like foraminal stenosis and thoracic spinal stenosis, but lumbar stenosis and cervical stenosis are the most common ones. In cervical spinal stenosis, the neck region is affected due to the narrowing of the spinal canal. The spine is a column of bones called vertebrae that run from the upper neck to the lower end of the back. The open space between these vertebrae is known as spinal canal and the set of nerves that run from the base of the brain to the lower back through this canal is called spinal cord. The cervical spine consists of 7 vertebrae, located from the lower head to the middle of the back. When the spinal canal narrows, it exerts extra pressure on the nerves where they leave the spinal cord. As a result, the person experiences stiffness and pain in the neck, arms and legs. There can be some problems with the balance and coordination and also with bowel and bladder system.
Actually the symptoms for any type of spinal cord stenosis are the same and so does its diagnosis and treatment because spinal stenosis is a result of the narrowing of the spine. Only there is a difference of the area affected. With age, the ligaments of the spine get thick and hard. The water in the discs of the spine gets dried and the bones and joints get enlarged. Sometimes even bone spurs are formed. Consequently, there is tremendous pressure on the nerves and then they start creating problems in the structure and functioning of the spinal cord. The symptoms of spinal stenosis vary from person to person. Some experience severe pain, stiffness, numbness and weakness in the legs, lower back and buttocks, in case of lumbar stenosis and same symptoms in the arms and neck, in case of cervical stenosis; where as, other patients do not feel any pain. In mild spinal stenosis, there are irregular periods of pain and stiffness, but in case of severe spinal stenosis, there is constant pain which causes hindrance in day to day activity also. In order to have correct spinal stenosis diagnosis, the doctor asks for the patient's case history, examine him carefully, and gets a variety of tests done like X-ray, MRI scan or CAT scan. Then the treatment begins with non-surgical techniques like physical therapy, prescribed exercises, corticosteroid injections and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. If the condition of the patient is really serious, then surgical treatments of spinal stenosis are followed like laminotomy, foraminotomy, cervical spine surgery, fusion surgery etc. |