Spinal stenosis is a medical condition that involves the narrowing of the spinal canal. Key spinal nerves pass along this canal, so when the area shrinks or other structures encroach on space reserved for these spinal nerves, symptoms can develop. When this narrowing occurs in the neck or upper portion of the spine, it’s known as cervical spinal stenosis. Below, we explore why cervical spinal stenosis develops and we explain how Dr. Jackman and his team can help you treat the condition.
Why Does Cervical Spinal Stenosis Develop?
Cervical spinal stenosis can have a few different underlying causes or reasons for development, but the most common contributing factor is natural wear and tear on your neck. Your neck regularly supports the weight of your head, and that can be a more stressful action than you’d expect. When you add in poor neck posture, like if you’re hunched forward staring at a computer screen at work, or your looking down at your phone for hours each day, it should come as no surprise that this microstress will add up over time and serve to break down some key structures in your neck region.
When bones, discs and muscles deteriorate, structural changes set in, and this can alter the normal function of your spine or the spinal canal. For example, if a cervical disc wears down and loses it’s normal height, it can shift out of place and compress the spinal canal or the nearby nerves. Deterioration can lead to shifting structures, column instability or even the formation of bone spurs, all of which can impinge the spinal canal.
Symptoms of cervical spinal stenosis will vary based on the underlying cause and location of the compression, but many people experience some or all of the following symptoms in their neck or extremities:
- Localized pain
- Pain that radiates down the arms
- Muscle weakness
- A tingling sensation
- Numbness
- Balance issues
How To Diagnose And Treat Cervical Spinal Stenosis
If you’ve been dealing with any of the above conditions, or you just want to get to the bottom of your neck discomfort, set up an appointment with a spine specialist like Dr. Jackman. At your initial consultation, he’ll sit down with you, go over your symptoms, review your medical history and ask about what actions make symptoms better or worse. He’ll also conduct a physical exam where he may ask you to perform a few simple maneuvers to assess your range of motion and which actions are causing you difficulty.
Once this assessment is complete, he may confirm his suspicions with the assistance of an imaging test. X-rays can help to look for shifted discs or the formation of bone spurs, while an MRI or CT scan can provide a more detailed look at some of the soft tissues and structures in the area. From here, Dr. Jackman will be able to make a clear diagnosis, which in turn will lead to an individualized treatment plan.
Treating cervical spinal stenosis will typically begin with conservative care, because most people will find relief without the need for surgery. Every patient will have a different path to relief, but most patients will begin with a combination of rest, physical therapy, gentle exercise and pain relieving medications. It’s imperative that you pursue active treatments like physical therapy and stretching techniques instead of just relying on passive treatments like rest and pain medications. Passive treatments should always be paired with active treatments to ensure the underlying mechanism of injury is being targeted. In the majority of cases, these techniques will provide enough relief to avoid an operation.
If you’re finding it hard to achieve enough pain relief through conservative means, or your condition is threatening to do further damage to your spinal canal or spinal cord, an operation may be your best option. Your doctor can walk you through the specifics of your procedure based on your needs, but a few different operations that can help to treat spinal stenosis include:
- Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF)
- Cervical Arthroplasty
- Foraminotomy
- Laminectomy or Laminotomy
Contact a Minnesota Spine Surgeon
Many of these techniques can be performed on a minimally invasive basis, which limits tissue damage, reduces the risk of complications and leads to a shorter recovery. So if you are being bothered by chronic neck pain, or certain neck movements have become painful, reach out to an experienced spine specialist and find out how you can get back to painless movements. In the greater Twin Cities area reach out to Dr. Jackman and the team at the Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today.
