What is Cervical Spinal Stenosis?
Cervical spinal stenosis is a condition characterized by the narrowing of the spine which results in the compression of the spinal cord. Compression of the spinal cord is the most common cause of spinal cord dysfunction, called cervical myelopathy. Cervical spinal stenosis can be congenital, but may be acquired as a result of herniation of a disc or the development of a bone spur. The combination of both a congenital and an acquired problem, symptoms of cervical spinal stenosis can include moderate to severe back pain, and can have a significant effect on the way you live your life.
Symptoms of Cervical Spinal Stenosis
Cervical spinal stenosis causes symptoms only if the nerve roots or spinal cord are compressed. This means that either radiculopathy (compression of a nerve) or myelopathy (compression of the spinal cord) are being experienced. The symptoms of radiculopathy are limited to:
Back pain
Weakness or numbness in one arm
The symptoms for myelopathy are more dispersed and can be confusing to diagnose. Patients with cervical myelopathy may complain of frequent headaches, which can be confused with migraine symptoms. Other symptoms include:
Nausea
Vomiting
Dizziness and vertigo
Sensitivity to light, sounds and smells
Widespread pain
Weakness and clumsiness
Balance problems
Difficulty with memory and concentration
Increased urinary urgency and frequency
Disturbances in bowel movements
Fatigue
Diagnosis of Cervical Spinal Stenosis
The first step in diagnosing cervical spinal stenosis is a detailed medical history followed by a physical examination, so that the physician can recognize what appear like common symptoms are. Your spine surgeon may order can MRI Scan which will show the spinal stenosis and spinal cord compression. Other causes of myelopathy, besides cervical spinal stenosis, include Multiple Sclerosis, vitamin B-12 deficiency, spinal tumors, Syringomyelia, arteriovenous malformations of the spinal cord and chiari malformations.
Treatment of Cervical Spinal Stenosis
Treatments can include surgical and non-surgical therapies. Non-surgical therapies include medication and neck immobilization with a collar or by traction. The goal of these treatments is to eliminate back pain, neck pain, numbness and alleviate weakness and other bodily malfunctions.
Surgical therapies include relieving the compression of the spinal cord by enlarging the spinal canal. There are many ways to accomplish this procedure. Each case is unique to the individual patient. If your back pain is too much to handle, Call Dr. Moza, an experienced spine surgeon in Thousand Oaks.
Contact Dr. Moza - 805-497-3622
Dr. Moza is an experienced California spine surgeon, lauded as a Vitals Top 10 Neurosurgeon who has received several customer care awards and numerous other accolades.
Located in Thousand Oaks, California, Dr. Moza serves all of southern California, including: Los Angeles, Westlake Village, Santa Barbara, Santa Clarita, Camarillo, Calabasas, Hollywood, Ventura and San Diego.
Contact Dr. Moza to discuss cervical spinal stenosis.