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Severe Stenosis

Spinal stenosis is an extremely common condition of the back and neck that millions of individuals experience, though many people are fortunate enough to never feel symptoms. Severe stenosis, however, is an exacerbated form of the condition that could lead to symptoms that require emergency medical attention.

Knowing When Severe Stenosis Becomes an Emergency

Stenosis of the spine is a term used to describe the narrowing of the spinal canal, frequently due to degenerative problems like degenerative disc disease and facet disease. These conditions can lead to bulging discs, herniated discs, collapsed discs, bone spurs, and other intervertebral disc and joint injuries that infringe on the space of the spinal canal and cause the spinal nerves to become painfully constricted. For the most part, when people do feel symptoms from spinal canal stenosis, the discomfort is fairly mild and presents as travelling pain, localized pain, tingling, and weakness. However, severe stenosis may produce debilitating, urgent symptoms, including:

• Bladder or bowel dysfunction - this could mean you have developed Cauda Equina Syndrome, which is the compression of the nerve root bundle that hangs from the base of the spinal cord.
• Paralysis - sudden inability to move the extremities or complete loss of feeling in any part of the body.
• Loss of motor function - problems maintaining proper balance or difficulty walking.

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Urgent and Non-Urgent Treatment

If you are experiencing any of the above problems, you should see a doctor immediately. These are emergency situations and medical attention is required. If you are experiencing mild or moderate symptoms of spinal stenosis, it would still be beneficial to schedule an appointment with your physician. He or she will ask about the frequency and location of your symptoms, and will most likely perform an MRI or CT scan to confirm a diagnosis.

If you would like a further review of your MRI or CT scan, contact Laser Spine Institute (LSI). Our minimally invasive, outpatient procedures may be able to help you rediscover a life without pain if you suffer from severe stenosis that does not require emergency attention.

Please note: Laser Spine Institute currently does not perform endoscopic procedures on the thoracic spine.