Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

Lumbar spinal stenosis is a lumbar spine condition that is a definitive part of the natural aging process. As the human body ages, the spinal column also changes and gets old with the vertebrae, muscles, bones, discs and the connective tissue getting degenerated.

All the above mentioned parts are responsible for making the spinal column and the wear and tear that takes place in them often leads to lumbar spinal stenosis which results in lower back pain.

Stenosis is a Greek word that means ‘choking’ and most of the time this problem arises due to lumbar spine conditions that are degenerative in nature like osteoarthritis or degenerative spondylolisthesis.

 Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Symptoms

Lumbar Spinal StenosisThe lumbar spinal stenosis symptoms that typically every patient suffering from this condition feels is increased lumbar pain which gets worse while walking. This pain can drastically bring down the level of activities a person performs in his daily life. A person suffering from spinal stenosis usually cannot walk far due to leg pain and feels instantly better when he sits down. Other symptoms include:

  • Sciatica pain (leg pain)
  • Leg pain while walking
  • Numbness and tingling sensation in the lumbar region of the spinal column that trickles down to the buttocks and legs

 Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Surgery

Lumbar surgery must always be considered as the last option when the patient’s ability to perform daily activities diminishes to unacceptable levels and non-surgical treatment options are unable to provide any relief to the patient. Lumbar surgery options for spinal stenosis include:

  • Lumbar Laminectomy
  • Foraminotomy
  • Laminotomy
  • Interspinous Process Spacer
  • Microendoscopic Decompression

There are a variety of surgical options available for spinal stenosis. However, the best and the most effective operative procedure for spinal stenosis as of now is lumbar laminectomy.