Spinal stenosis is a condition in which the spinal canal, the bony passageway that helps protect the spinal cord and nerves, narrows. This narrowing can put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, causing pain, numbness and weakness. You can imagine it like a crowded hallway where people are all bumping into each other; that’s similar to what happens to your nerves with spinal stenosis.
Spinal stenosis is relatively common, especially as you begin to age. The wear and tear of the spine that naturally happens over time can be the primary cause. While it can affect people of any age, it’s more common in people over the age of 50.
Spinal stenosis can have a significant impact on your daily life. The symptoms can range from mild discomfort to debilitating pain, making it challenging for you to do everyday activities. It can cause complications such as:
- Physical limitations
- Reduced mobility
- Emotional struggles
- Social isolation
- Sleep disturbances
Understanding spinal stenosis is your first step to managing its effects on your life. With a proper diagnosis and treatment, you can experience significant improvement in your quality of life.
Symptoms of spinal stenosis
Depending on the severity and location of your spinal stenosis (e.g., in your neck, back, arms, legs, hands or feet), you may experience:
- Pain
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Weakness
Spinal stenosis can develop slowly over time. Symptoms may also come and go and can affect people differently.
Lumbar spinal stenosis affects the lower back and is the most common type, affecting more than 200,000 American adults. It can cause distinct symptoms, including:
- Dull ache or stiffness in the lower back
- Burning, cramping or aching extending from the buttocks down the leg
- Numbness or tingling sensations in the legs, feet or buttocks
- Difficulty lifting the feet or general weakness in the legs
- Intermittent claudication, where leg pain gets worse with walking but improves with rest
A key characteristic of lumbar spinal stenosis is that these symptoms can improve when bending forward or sitting down. This can be because these positions help open up the spinal canal and help relieve pressure on the nerves.
Cervical stenosis affects the neck and causes a variety of symptoms, including:
- Stiffness or soreness in the neck
- Numbness, tingling or weakness in one or both arms
- Difficulty with fine motor skills, like buttoning clothes or writing
- Headaches similar to tension headaches
- Difficulty walking or coordinating movements
- In severe cases, symptoms can extend below the neck, causing numbness or tingling in the legs.
It’s important to note that symptoms of cervical and lumbar stenosis can vary widely in severity and may get worse over time.
What does spinal stenosis feel like?
Spinal stenosis can cause a variety of uncomfortable symptoms, including the ones listed above. These symptoms may cause you to experience:
- Dull ache or burning sensation
- Pins-and-needles sensation
- Muscle weakness in your arms or legs
- Difficulty moving your neck or back
- Issues with balance and coordination
- Muscle cramps
The intensity and frequency of these symptoms can vary greatly from person to person. Some people may experience mild discomfort; others may experience severe limitations in their daily activities.
Causes of spinal stenosis
Spinal stenosis can be the result of age-related wear and tear on the spine, but other factors can contribute to its development, such as:
- Osteoarthritis
- Herniated discs
- Thickened ligaments
- Spinal injuries
- Bone overgrowths
- Spinal tumors
- Congenital spinal stenosis
- Osteoporosis
- Spondylolisthesis
How is spinal stenosis diagnosed?
Spinal stenosis is usually diagnosed using a combination of:
- Medical history
- Physical examination
- Imaging tests, such as:
- X-rays
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Computed tomography scan (CT scan)
These tests can help identify the extent of your spinal narrowing, the structures that are involved and the potential causes of your symptoms.
How is spinal stenosis treated?
Spinal stenosis treatment can vary depending on the severity of the symptoms and the individual patient. Treatment can involve a combination of approaches, including:
- Medications — Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or prescription options, like muscle relaxers, can help you manage your pain and inflammation.
- Physical therapy — Physical therapy exercises, stretches and other techniques can help you improve flexibility, strength and posture, helping alleviate pressure on your nerves.
- Epidural steroid injections — Steroid injections near the affected spinal nerves can help reduce inflammation and provide temporary pain relief.
- Surgery — In severe cases where the symptoms are significantly interfering with your daily life and nonsurgical treatments have been ineffective, your doctor may recommend surgery. Surgical options for spinal stenosis include:
- Laminectomy — Removing part of the vertebra to create more space for the spinal cord and nerves
- Laminotomy — A less extensive procedure where only a portion of the bone is removed
- Foraminotomy — Enlarging the openings of the vertebrae where nerves exit
- Discectomy — Removing part of a herniated disc
- Spinal fusion — Fusing together two or more vertebrae to help stabilize the spine
It’s important to discuss the risks and benefits of each treatment option with your health care provider to determine the most effective treatment based on your specific condition.
Physical therapy techniques for spinal stenosis
Physical therapy can play a crucial role in helping you manage your spinal stenosis symptoms. Your physical therapist will create a tailored physical therapy treatment program that can help you improve your flexibility, strength and overall function. Your treatment plan may include some of the following techniques:
- Range-of-motion exercises — Your physical therapist will teach you gentle movements that can help you maintain flexibility in your spine, hips and legs. These exercises can help prevent stiffness and improve your mobility.
- Strengthening exercises — Your physical therapist can guide you through targeted exercises intended to help you build core, back and leg muscle strength. These muscles are crucial for supporting your spine and reducing strain. These exercises may include:
- Planks
- Bridges
- Leg lifts
- Aerobic exercises — Your physical therapist may recommend doing aerobic exercise activities to help improve your cardiovascular health endurance and overall well-being. Aerobic exercise activities can include:
- Swimming
- Walking
- Cycling
- Postural education — Your physical therapist can educate you on the importance of good posture. Learning and practicing good posture habits can help reduce strain on your spine.
- Manual therapy — Hands-on techniques of manual therapy, like spinal manipulation, joint mobilization, myofascial release and soft tissue mobilization, can help relieve pain and stiffness. Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) techniques can also be beneficial.
- Stabilization exercises — Your physical therapist can guide you through stabilization exercises that are designed to focus on your core and pelvic floor muscles. These muscles are crucial to supporting spinal stability.
- Balance training — Balance training exercises can help you improve your balance and coordination. Improving these skills can reduce your risk of falls.
- Aquatic therapy — Aquatic therapy involves doing certain exercises in the water. This takes advantage of the buoyancy of water, which can help reduce weight-bearing stress on your spine, allowing you to work on improving your flexibility, strength and range of motion with easier and less painful movements.
- Functional training — Your physical therapist can help you learn how to perform everyday activities to improve your confidence and independence. Learning how to get in and out of a car, bend, and lift and carry objects correctly can help alleviate pain caused by improper form.
Your personalized treatment plan will be based on your specific needs and recovery goals. Consistent practice of these exercises can help significantly improve your quality of life.
Tips that can help you prevent spinal stenosis
While spinal stenosis is often associated with aging and wear and tear, there are steps you can take that can potentially reduce your risk or slow its progression:
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Get regular exercise.
- Practice good posture habits.
- Use safe lifting techniques.
- Attend regular check-ups.
Remember, while these steps can help you maintain your spinal health, they may not entirely prevent spinal stenosis, especially if you have a genetic predisposition.
Reclaim your life with spinal stenosis treatment at Whatcom Physical Therapy
At Whatcom Physical Therapy, we understand the challenges living with spinal stenosis can have on your life. Our team of experienced physical therapists proudly offers personalized treatment plans tailored to your specific needs and recovery goals. With a focus on providing comprehensive and compassionate care, we can help you manage your pain, improve your mobility and enhance your overall quality of life.
Call us or request an appointment today to learn more about how our spinal stenosis physical therapy treatments can benefit you.
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