Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Specialist

What is lumbar spinal stenosis?

Lumbar spinal stenosis is a condition where your spine begins to narrow in your lower back. This narrowing can be the result of natural age-related changes that occur in your spine due to trauma or because of an underlying degenerative condition.

Some of the common causes of lumbar spinal stenosis include:

• Bone spurs
  
• Herniated disc
  
• Spinal tumor
  
• Spinal fractures
  

You can also develop lumbar spinal stenosis if the surrounding ligaments thicken over time.

The narrower your spine becomes, the more likely spinal structures will begin pressing on surrounding nerves or directly on your spinal cord, which can cause symptoms that limit your mobility.

What are the symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis?

As your lumbar spine begins to narrow, you can experience a variety of symptoms that relate to compression on surrounding nerves or your spinal cord. These symptoms can be severe enough to interfere with your quality of life and overall mobility.

Common symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis include:

• Back pain
  
• Leg cramps
  
• Tingling sensations in the legs
  
• Weakness or numbness in lower back, legs, feet
  

When these symptoms become severe enough to reduce your mobility and the range of motion, it’s important that you seek a proper diagnosis at Northeast Ohio Spine Center.

How is lumbar spinal stenosis diagnosed?

To confirm your symptoms relate to lumbar spinal stenosis, Dr. Grubb spends time reviewing your medical history and discussing your job and other aspects of your lifestyle. He performs a comprehensive physical exam of your spine to determine where you have pain, tenderness, and swelling.

Diagnostic imaging tests, like X-rays, are available on-site, allowing Dr. Grubb the opportunity to view the inner structures of your back. These tests can confirm herniated discs, bone spurs, and narrowed parts of your spine that relate to lumbar spinal stenosis.

How is lumbar spinal stenosis treated?

Your treatment plan for lumbar spinal stenosis focuses on relieving your pain and increasing your mobility. Dr. Grubb may initially recommend non-surgical treatments, like physical therapy or chiropractic care, to take pressure off your nerves and minimize your pain.

If these therapies don’t help you find pain relief, you may be a candidate for minimally invasive spine surgery. This type of surgery requires only small incisions to access the structures in your lumbar spine. Dr. Grubb uses specialized surgical tools to remove bone spurs, damaged discs, or portions of your vertebrae without causing unnecessary trauma to your body.

Surgery is effective at providing long-term pain relief from lumbar spinal stenosis. You may need physical therapy following surgery to strengthen the muscles in your lower back that support your spine to improve range of motion and promote healing.

If you’re experiencing persistent lower back pain due to lumbar spinal stenosis, you can expect the highest standard of care at Northeast Ohio Spine Center. Call the office or use the online booking feature to request a consultation today.