Neck and back pain followed by tingling and cramps in the legs may not be the result of fatigue or simply sleeping wrong. These conditions are some of the symptoms of spinal stenosis . Spinal stenosis occurs when the space between the vertebrae narrows. This narrowing puts pressure on the nerves along the spine.
Spinal stenosis usually affects those of you who are 50 years and over. As you get older, your body experiences a process of tissue change. In the spine, your ligament tissue thickens so that the nerves become compressed. The result is pain in the spine. In addition, there are also other factors that cause spinal stenosis, namely spinal defects since childhood, tumors on the spinal cord, and injuries due to accidents that cause vertebrae to dislocate.
In medicine, spinal stenosis is divided into two types. The first type is called neck stenosis or cervical stenosis . In this type, the narrowing occurs in the cervical spine. If you have neck stenosis, the symptoms that arise are neck pain, disturbed balance and ability to walk, and tingling to numbness in the hands, arms and legs. The second type is lumbar stenosis. This type occurs in the lower back. Symptoms include tingling and numbness in the feet, back pain, and leg cramps after standing for a long time or while walking. If you and those closest to you experience these symptoms, immediately go to the hospital for a medical check-up.
To treat complaints of pain in the spine accompanied by symptoms of spinal stenosis, the doctor will make a diagnosis with an MRI, X-ray, or CT scan. The results of an MRI test show damage to the ligaments, the presence of tumors, and the pressure they put on the spine. Diagnosis using X-rays will detect changes in the shape of the spine. Meanwhile, the CT scan results show damage to the soft tissue of the spine.
Minimally Invasive Treatment for Spinal Stenosis Patients
If the doctor can detect the cause of the spinal pain that you are feeling, the next step is treatment. Diseases related to the spine do require special treatment. The reason is, your spine is located deep in the body, protected by the muscle tissue around it. In the past, doctors had to perform open surgery to reach the spine. As technology develops in the field of medicine, now doctors only need to make small incisions to repair damaged spinal tissue. This procedure is called minimally invasive surgery. Because the incisions and wounds caused are small, the risks are smaller and the recovery process is faster.
For spinal stenosis patients, hospitals can perform minimally invasive surgery called spinal decompression . The doctor will open several small, button-sized incisions in your body to insert a small camera and surgical instruments. The camera will display your spinal structure in real-time on the monitor. Referring to the monitor, the doctor will treat the problematic spine.
The procedure can be divided into two types, namely laminectomy and foraminotomy . In a laminectomy , the doctor moves the front of one of the vertebrae to remove the tumor and relieve pressure on the nerves. Meanwhile, foraminotomy is used to enlarge the space or distance between the vertebrae.
If you have passed all the handling procedures, the next step is recovery. Because minimally invasive surgical procedures do not cause large cuts and stitches, you can recover on an outpatient basis, without having to stay overnight. But keep in mind, you should not do strenuous activities that put pressure on the back.
So, those are the things you need to understand about spinal spinosis. Don't take the pain you feel for granted. If the pain persists and symptoms of spinal spinosis appear, consult a doctor immediately. Continue to take care of your health and that of those closest to you and remember to always #LiveExcellently.