Does mild spinal stenosis require surgery?

Does mild spinal stenosis require surgery?

Most patients with cervical or lumbar spinal stenosis respond well to non-surgical treatments (such as medication), so you may not need spine surgery. However, there are situations when you may want to go ahead with spine surgery. You’ve tried non-surgical treatments and they haven’t been successful.

What is stenosis and bulging disc?

Spinal stenosis is caused from spinal degeneration and from wearing and tearing from osteoarthritis, which is typically seen in older individuals. Other causes of spinal stenosis include the formation of bone spurs, bony overgrowth, thickened spinal ligaments, and bulging discs.

Is a bulging disc the same as stenosis?

It can cause pain in the buttocks, legs, or back. It can also affect your ability to walk. Bulging discs usually affect multiple discs. This condition develops over time and can cause other disc degeneration-related issues, like lumbar stenosis (narrowing of spinal canal).

Is mild spinal stenosis a disability?

If you have spinal stenosis and it has caused permanent damage and that you will not be able to work anymore and earn a living, then you may be eligible for Social Security disability benefits. Spinal stenosis is located in the Social Security disability blue book under disorders of the spine.

Can bulging discs cause stomach problems?

In serious cases, a thoracic herniated disc can lead to paralysis from the waist down. Lateral disc herniation. When herniating laterally, or to the side, the thoracic herniated disc is more likely to impinge on the exiting nerve root at that level of the spine and cause radiating chest wall or abdominal pain.

Can a bulging disc lead to facet hypertrophy?

Either way could lead to a bulging disc, bone spurs on the facet joints, and facet hypertrophy. Ultimately, these conditions combine to compress the nerves and cause pain. Disc abnormalities aren’t the only cause of facet hypertrophy.

What causes hypertrophy in the facet of the spine?

As is the case with other parts of the spine, facet joints can be affected by stress, trauma, and natural wear. This type of degeneration can break down cushioning that reduces friction between the bony parts of facet joints. When this happens, it’s referred to as facet joint hypertrophy.

What causes pain in the facet of the spine?

Low back pain potential causes include defects of the ligaments that attach the muscles to the spinal discs, compression or pinching of the spinal cord roots, the hard, protective covering of the spinal cord known as the dura, muscle disorders of the lower spine and facet joints.

What are the symptoms of facet hypertrophy back pain?

If that happens, that cartilage will start to wear away over a period of a few months to a few years, leading to bone rubbing on bone, inflammation, and bone spurs. Facet hypertrophy manifests itself as spinal stenosis, the symptoms of which are back and leg pain.

Either way could lead to a bulging disc, bone spurs on the facet joints, and facet hypertrophy. Ultimately, these conditions combine to compress the nerves and cause pain. Disc abnormalities aren’t the only cause of facet hypertrophy.

If that happens, that cartilage will start to wear away over a period of a few months to a few years, leading to bone rubbing on bone, inflammation, and bone spurs. Facet hypertrophy manifests itself as spinal stenosis, the symptoms of which are back and leg pain.

What do you mean by lumbar facet hypertrophy?

Lumbar Facet Hypertrophy.  Degeneration and enlargement of facet joints  Each vertebra has two facet joints, one on each side. They are like the “knuckles” of the spine. They are small joints that have cartilage lining like other joints in your body. These wear down over time, with obesity, and with trauma (ex: MVA).

What causes narrowing of the spaces in the spine?

Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spaces within your spine, which can put pressure on the nerves that travel through the spine. Spinal stenosis occurs most often in the lower back and the neck. Some people with spinal stenosis may not have symptoms.