Your spine is made of vertebrae that keep your body straight and provide passage for the spinal cord and nerves. That’s why spinal health is one of the vital aspects of your well-being, and why you need to visit a doctor if something seems off.
A medical condition such as lumbar spinal stenosis can sometimes affect your spine and lead to health problems. Read on to learn more about lumbar spinal stenosis and how it affects your life. In addition, discover whether the VertiFlex Procedure is a good way to deal with this condition.
What Is Lumbar Spinal Stenosis?
Spinal stenosis occurs when your spinal canal narrows, typically in the lower back (lumbar) or neck (cervical). That can put pressure on the nerves, causing pain and other symptoms. However, some people with spinal stenosis have no symptoms.
The symptoms typically worsen over time unless you don’t get appropriate treatment. The doctor uses MRI or CT scans to diagnose lumbar spinal stenosis and suggests next steps based on the results.
What Are Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Symptoms?
The symptoms and their intensity vary based on the nerves affected. The standard ones are:
- Back pain
- Leg pain after standing for a prolonged period (it usually gets better when you sit down or bend forward)
- Cramping
- Weakness in leg or foot
- Numbness or tingling sensations in leg or foot
- Coordination problems
What Causes Lumbar Spinal Stenosis?
Lumbar spinal stenosis usually occurs in people aged 50 and older, as the spinal canal narrows as a part of the aging process. However, injuries and other conditions can cause earlier onset. That includes:
- Spinal osteoarthritis – Osteoarthritis causes cartilage to break down, leading to adjacent vertebrae rubbing against each other. That can lead to abnormal bone growth, causing lumbar spinal stenosis.
- Thickened ligaments – Ligaments connect your vertebrae, ensuring stability. However, they sometimes get ticker and turn to bone tissue, causing spinal stenosis. In addition, a ligament can get inside the canal, putting pressure on the nerves and causing symptoms.
- Degenerative disc disease – This condition causes discs to flatten, and sometimes they push into a spinal canal, causing spinal stenosis.
- Spinal injuries – Car accidents, sports injuries, and other injuries can cause spinal trauma, resulting in dislocations or fractures. That may damage your spinal cord or nerves and lead to the onset of lumbar spinal stenosis symptoms.
How Does VertiFlex Procedure Help?
The VertiFlex is a minimally-invasive procedure that uses a small implant to create more space in the spinal canal and take the pressure off nerves. The VertiFlex approach is an FDA-approved treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis, confirmed to be safe and effective.
The great thing about the VertiFlex procedure is that it’s minimally invasive, so it doesn’t require general anesthesia, and most patients are able to go home on the same day. In addition, it is reversible and covered by Medicare and Medicaid insurance.
Where to Get VertiFlex to Ease Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Symptoms?
If you’ve been diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis or experience the symptoms, you can visit Space City Pain Specialists. Our pain management doctors are ready to listen to you and recommend the best possible treatment to get rid of the pain. We offer many different pain management services, including the VertiFlex procedure.
Click here to learn how you can contact us and schedule your appointment.
