Your spine encloses muscles, bones, synovial fluids and nerves, enabling you to stand, walk, and sit. The responsibility to handle all these vital tasks makes it easy for you to understand how your spine’s slight problem can affect your body. When lower back pain starts to shoot down your legs, this is symptomatic of spinal stenosis. If your spine is giving you problems, it is time to visit your Pittsburgh board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon to prevent the problem’s escalation, rendering you immobile. Dr. Idema and her team at Steel City Spine and Orthopedic Center specialize in pain relief affecting the bones.
Spinal Stenosis With Neurogenic Claudication
Spinal stenosis is a major back problem caused by the spinal column’s narrowing due to bone spurs. This narrowing causes your discs or vertebrae to start rubbing against your nerves, resulting in lower back (lumbar) pain.
When this condition advances, the affected nerves become entrapped between your spine. This makes it painful for you to try to stand up since the nerves send this pain into your legs. This condition is known as neurogenic claudication and signifies you have a back problem.
Among its signs include leg cramps, sharp shooting pain, tingling and numbness, and weakness. Spinal stenosis combined with neurogenic claudication can cause debilitating pain, but luckily, your doctor can use several treatment methods to provide relief.
Treating Spinal Stenosis with Neurogenic Claudication
During your consultation, Dr. Idema will conduct a thorough examination and discuss your medical history with you. Your specialist will then embark on treatment using conservative treatment options.
Conservative Treatments
Epidural steroid injections are a common treatment option for spinal stenosis. This method delivers steroids to the roots of the nerves being compressed, resulting in decreased swelling and pain. During treatment, your doctor will numb the treatment area and then use X-ray imaging to precisely deliver medication in the trouble spot using an injection. Other conservative treatment options include physical therapy, weight loss program, and use of pain relief medication.
The VertiFlex Superion solution
Dr. Idema may consider the VertiFlex Superion procedure if conservative treatment options fail to work, but are yet to require an aggressive treatment solution. Dr. Idema will make a small incision into your back, where a thin tube will be inserted into the treatment area.
Your doctor will then slide a spacer through the tube and position it between the vertebrae on your spine’s affected part. She will then expand the spacer to create room in your spine to help the nerves assume back their initial position before removing the tube. This treatment can provide permanent relief from pain.
Dr. Idema specializes in using innovative technologies to ensure stabilization and motion preservation for patients having spinal surgery. Her goal is to improve the movement and function of every patient’s spine while maintaining the highest standards of care in both surgical and nonsurgical spine interventions.
Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression
If Dr. Idema establishes that you require a more assertive treatment option, she may recommend minimally invasive lumbar decompression (MILD). This is a minimally invasive procedure where your doctor makes an incision on your back to locate where your spine has narrowed using imaging technology.
Do not allow debilitating pain from spinal stenosis and neurogenic claudication to lower your quality of life. Schedule a consultation with your orthopedic specialist to learn about the available treatment options. Patients who are experiencing neck or back pain can benefit from a range of nonsurgical treatment options for conditions such as spondylosis, scoliosis, disc herniation, sciatica, osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis, among many others. Dr. Idema can also assess and treat work injuries, support patients with workers’ compensation claims, and provide independent medical evaluations.
