Spinal Stenosis Specialist

What is spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis is a condition that develops when your spinal canal begins to narrow. Within the canal are nerve roots and your spinal cord, which can become compressed due to changes in your spinal canal.

While the condition develops gradually, spinal stenosis can eventually cause chronic pain and a number of other symptoms that affect your spinal health and your overall mobility.

What causes spinal stenosis?

In addition to age-related changes in your spine, you can develop spinal stenosis as the result of underlying health issues, including:

• Bone spurs
• Osteoarthritis
• A herniated disc

You can be at increased risk of spinal stenosis if you were born with a small spinal canal or suffered a spinal injury.

What are the symptoms of spinal stenosis?

As your spine begins to narrow, you might not have symptoms. But as the condition worsens, you can develop pain and other symptoms that interfere with your quality of life.

Common symptoms of spinal stenosis include:

• Numbness
• Weakness
• Muscle cramping
• Changes in bowel and/or bladder function

Pain and weakness can radiate from the spine down into your legs and feet, reducing your mobility. As spinal stenosis advances, you can experience issues with your sexual function.

How is spinal stenosis diagnosed?

In some cases, your symptoms can point to spinal stenosis-related changes that cause nerve compression. To confirm the narrowing of your spine, Dr. Ojeyemi and Dr. Roh can order imaging tests like a CT scan or MRI to evaluate the health of your spine.

Dr. Roh and Dr. Ojeyemi also perform a physical exam to test your range of motion and evaluate the severity of your pain during certain movements.

What treatments are available for spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis can’t be cured, but Dr. Ojeyemi and Dr. Roh create a treatment that can address your chronic pain and keep you physically active.

Initial treatments often include limiting strenuous activities and using medications to reduce pain and inflammation around the nerves and spinal cord.

If your pain is severe, you might benefit from epidural steroid injections that provide anti-inflammatory and anesthetic medicines directly into the epidural space of your spine. Injections can quickly reduce inflammation and provide temporary pain relief to let your spinal nerves heal.

For advanced spinal stenosis, Dr. Ojeyemi would consider surgery to remove excess bone in the spinal canal, allowing more space for your spinal cord and nerves. This procedure is known as a decompression laminectomy, which Dr. Ojeyemi can combine with fusion surgery to stabilize your spine.

Find out more about treatments of spinal stenosis by calling the Orthopedics & Wellness office nearest you or by using the online booking feature.