What You Should Know About Your Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Surgery?
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a constricting of the spinal canal, compression of the nerves traveling through the lower back into the legs. This can cause severe pain, tingling, weakness, numbness, and problems with bladder and bowel function. This narrowing of the spine is usually caused by degenerative changes to the spine that occur as we age — like osteoarthritis. Other causes include thickened ligaments, bulging discs, and bone spurs.
Although it can occur at any age, LSS is most common among people over 50 years old. In fact, nearly half of all people over 80 have some degree of LSS. As you age, your vertebrae can naturally become thinner and develop bone spurs. These bone spurs may not cause symptoms unless they narrow the spinal canal enough to compress the nerves within it. The effect of this compression can be felt as:
* pain in your legs
* numbness or weakness in your legs
* pain when standing or walking but relief when sitting or leaning forward
These symptoms occur because the spinal cord is being compressed in your lower back. The good news is that it’s very treatable with either nonsurgical or surgical techniques.
Surgery can be open or minimally invasive. Open surgery involves a larger incision to reach and repair the spine. Minimally invasive procedures use smaller incisions and special tools to access the spine. Both types of surgery are aimed at relieving pressure on nerves by widening the space around them in your spinal canal.
Many factors will influence your the decision of your Lumbar Spinal Stenosis surgeon west palm beach about which type of procedure is best for you. These factors include:
- The location of the narrowing
- The degree of nerve compression (how much pressure is being put on your nerves)
- The severity of your symptoms
Spinal stenosis surgery involves widening the spinal canal in order to alleviate pressure on your spine. This is done by removing part of the bone or tissue that thins the space. The bones and ligaments in your spine are removed, which frees up room for your spinal nerves. After this, the surgeon will attach a piece of synthetic mesh to stabilize your spine. This procedure is best for those whose symptoms include numbness, weakness, and pain in their arms or legs, as well as pain when walking.
While the surgery is considered to be highly effective means to treat severe and acute forms of this condition, the healthiest option for patients is non-operative therapy which includes physical therapy, weight loss if needed, exercise and medication.
About 90% of patients report an increase in their quality of life after receiving a spinal-fusion surgery. However, you should still be wary of potential complications and discuss them with your doctor to understand the best options for you. If you think you may have lumbar spinal stenosis, it’s important to see your Lumbar Spinal Stenosis surgeon west palm beach right away.
