The Treatment of Spinal Stenosis

spinal stenosis

More and more people today both young and old experience back pain. This back pain can be caused by a variety of spinal conditions. Stenosis of the spine can be one reason of your back pain. It is a condition where the spinal cord is thinned thus causing the nerves to compress. This condition of the nerves is the one that cause back pain, tingling sensation and numbness of the legs. The most affected by spinal stenosis is the lower back, it is the sciatic nerve that is usually affected.

The figures are quite alarming, with more than 400,000 people in US alone is suffering from Stenosis of the Spine and most of them are 60 years old and above. This condition can be diagnosed through physical examination although most physicians would require patients to take all the following test to be sure that you are suffering from such ailment. If you are experiencing symptoms you are required to take the Myelogram, MRI Scan, Bone Scan and CAT scan.

What are the ways for treating spinal stenosis? The non-surgical and traditional way of treating the condition includes Acupuncture where it involves inserting needle to the appropriate meridian points. Study shows that it can be effective in some cases. Another most sought after treatment today is the Spinal decompression therapy where it uses a spinal decompression machines to relieve back pain. It does not only cure the symptoms but cure the real problem which is spinal stenosis. It works by applying a pulling force to bring extra space between the vertebras thus reducing pressure on the nerves.

For more severe cases, surgery may have to be performed however be prepared for complications. Sometimes the complication is much worst that you expected. That is the very reason why most people want to avoid surgery.