| Definitions: Cervical Spinal Stenosis |
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Definition Cervical Spinal Stenosis is derived from the word stenosis meaning narrowing. Imagine the spinal canal is a circle. The circle can be average, big or small. Since the spinal cord travels in the circle at this level of the spine, any narrowing of the circle could put pressure on the spinal cord. Unless the individual is born with a small spinal canal (congenital stenosis), spinal narrowing occurs most commonly from progressive degenerative changes (acquired spinal stenosis). Diagnosis The diagnosis is usually made from the patient's history, the physical examination performed by the doctor and diagnostic imaging studies. If the narrowing in the spinal canal puts pressure on the spinal cord, then the patient may complain of numbness in the hands and legs, clumsiness in the hands and in the legs, electric shocks with head motion, bowel and bladder symptoms. Non-Surgery Treatment Non-operative treatments include the following: restriction of activity, immobilizing the neck with a collar and, medications. Surgical Treatment Surgery for spinal stenosis involves a careful assessment of how to make the spinal canal bigger but leave the spine stable for everyday life function. This analysis may be simple or complex. Generally speaking, the surgical concept is simple: make the spine larger and take the pressure off the spinal cord. Prognosis Prognosis in cervical spinal stenosis depends on the degree of pressure on the spinal cord and how long the pressure on the spinal cord has existed. |