Spinal Stenosis Specialist

What is spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of your spinal canal that can pressure nearby nerves, causing pain. It usually shows up in your neck or lower back. Various treatments at the North Houston Pain Center reduce nerve pain caused by spinal stenosis. See a pain management specialist if your discomfort is ongoing or severe.

What are the symptoms of spinal stenosis?

The symptoms of spinal stenosis include:

• Numbness
• Tingling
• Neck pain
• Back pain
• Muscle weakness
• Problems with balance or walking
• Bowel or bladder dysfunction
• Cramping in your legs
• Pain when standing

Your symptoms can be mild and barely noticeable, but they can gradually worsen if left untreated.

What are the risk factors for spinal stenosis?

The common causes and risk factors for spinal stenosis include:

• Age-related wear
• Being over 50
• Osteoarthritis
• Bone overgrowth
• Herniated discs
• Tumors
• Thickened ligaments
• Spinal injuries
• Scoliosis (curvature of the spine)
• Genetic deformities

There’s no surefire way to prevent spinal stenosis if you’re at risk for it. The best way to reduce your risk is to adopt healthy lifestyle habits and use proper lifting techniques.

How does my provider diagnose spinal stenosis?

The North Houston Pain Center team diagnoses spinal stenosis after reviewing your symptoms, lifestyle habits, and medical history. They also complete a physical exam and order X-rays, a CT scan, an MRI, or another imaging procedure.

How is spinal stenosis treated?

The standard treatments for spinal stenosis include:

Lifestyle changes

Maintaining a healthy body weight, using hot or cold packs, and getting regular exercise are ways to reduce spinal stenosis and the risk of further problems.

Physical therapy

Physical therapy is a noninvasive way to increase strength and flexibility, reduce discomfort, improve balance, and stabilize your spine.

Steroid injections

The North Houston Pain Center team offers steroid injections to reduce inflammation and relieve discomfort caused by irritated nerves.

Spinal decompression 

Spinal decompression uses needlelike instruments to remove thickened ligaments and increase space in your spinal canal.

Surgery

If other spinal stenosis treatments haven’t worked, the North Houston Pain Center providers offer surgery to relieve spinal cord or nerve pressure. They do this by creating more space in your spinal canal.

Call the North Houston Pain Center office today or schedule an appointment online if you struggle with neck or back pain associated with spinal stenosis.