Spinal Stenosis Specialist

What is spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis develops when the spinal canal narrows. The spinal canal is created by the opening in the center of each vertebra. The canal’s bony structure doesn’t narrow unless your spinal stenosis is caused by a traumatic injury.

Instead, the area inside the canal gets smaller due to conditions such as:

• Herniated discs
• Bone spurs
• Degenerative disc disease
• Enlarged facet joints
• Thickened ligaments
• Slipped vertebrae

A slipped vertebrae affects the canal by throwing the spine out of alignment. The other conditions on the list cause spinal stenosis when they protrude into the spinal canal.

What symptoms occur if I have spinal stenosis?

The symptoms of spinal stenosis occur because the narrowed area pinches the nerves. As a result, you experience symptoms such as:

• Pain in your back or neck
• Pain that radiates down your legs or arms
• Tingling or numbness in your legs or arms
• Weakness of tiredness in your legs or arms
• Leg cramps
• Hand weakness
• Difficulty walking

Though spinal stenosis can develop in your neck, it most often affects the lower back.

How is spinal stenosis treated?

Your treatment begins with posture and body mechanics, physical therapy, and avoiding activities that cause pain. You may also need interventional treatments to relieve your pain, such as epidural steroid injections, facet joint injections, or spinal cord stimulation.

Premier Pain Solutions specializes in several minimally invasive procedures that treat spinal stenosis:

Vertiflex Superion® Indirect Decompression System

The Vertiflex system is designed to ease the pain of spinal stenosis by decompressing nerves in the lower back. After making one small incision, your provider uses a narrow device to put the Vertiflex in place.

Then they release two winglike pieces on the device that gently separate the two vertebrae, creating just enough space to decompress the nerve.

Minuteman® MIS Fusion Plate

Premier Pain Solutions typically recommends the Minuteman when the condition responsible for your spinal stenosis also causes spinal instability. The Minuteman stabilizes two adjacent vertebrae while the bones fuse together.

During a minimally invasive procedure, your provider inserts the Minuteman device between the vertebrae. The device serves to slightly separate the bone. It also has a special coating that promotes new bone growth. As the two vertebrae grow new bone over the device, they fuse into one strong bone.

Minimally invasive lumbar decompression (MILD®)

The MILD procedure treats spinal stenosis caused by a thickened ligament. Using real-time imaging to guide the procedure, your provider makes a tiny incision and uses the advanced MILD device to remove the excess ligament. Trimming the ligament takes pressure off the nerves, relieves your pain, and restores spinal movement.

If you have ongoing back pain, call Premier Pain Solutions or use the online booking feature today.