Treatments for your Lower Back Pain: Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

Lower back pain is among the leading ailments of both men and women in the United States, and the likelihood of developing it increases with age. About 80 percent of adults experience low back pain at some time in their lives, while 20 percent have chronic symptoms, persisting for a year or longer. 

What is Lumbar Spinal Stenosis?

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis occurs when your spinal canal narrows. This occurs from wear and tear over time. When the spinal canal narrows, it causes pressure on your nerves causing pain, usually in your lower back. 

Symptoms

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis causes pain that impacts your daily activities. Sometimes pain symptoms are similar to those who have sciatica 

• Pain, weakness or numbness in the legs, calves or buttocks
• Cramping in the legs while walking
• Pain in the legs - specifically thighs

LSS pain may reside when sitting, lying down, or bending forward. 

Diagnosis

Our highly-trained specialists treat the full scope of back problems including those caused by degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, and nerve irritation. We also treat many patients that have recently been injured in car accidents. Every patient has a different story and receives a different treatment plan based on what is best for them. To diagnose lumbar spinal stenosis and other back injuries, our doctors at Garden State Pain and Orthopedics may use X-Ray or MRI. Our Clifton and West Orange Offices are both equipped with X-Ray technology. 

Treatments

First, the doctor diagnoses the cause of your pain by taking a medical history and conducting a physical examination. Based on the results, a personalized pain-relief plan is created. There are a variety of possible injections that may be recommended. All are administered with the guidance of a live X-ray called fluoroscopy. The type of injection is dependent on the source and severity of your pain. They include:

Epidural injections 

Epidural injections contain a steroid and an anesthetic. When this liquid is injected into the epidural space surrounding your spinal cord and spinal nerves, it reduces swelling and inflammation of the nerves in the epidural space. When your spinal nerves are under less pressure from the surrounding tissues, you’ll find relief from back pain and its associated symptoms, including sciatica. 

Facet joint injections

If persistent pain is believed to be caused by degenerative or arthritic conditions or a physical injury, it can usually be treated with a facet joint injection. Many types of neck and back pain are successfully treated with these injections, which are administered to the facet joints of your spine.

Sacroiliac joint injections

This type of injection eases problems with your sacroiliac (SI) joint, which connects your pelvis to your spine. The SI joint is a common source of low back, buttock, and leg pain. Although usually only one of the SI joints is affected and causes pain on one side of your lower body, it is possible for both SI joints to cause pain simultaneously.

Spinal injections are an in-office procedure that may require you to avoid eating or drinking for six hours prior to your appointment. Your physician should be informed of any medications you’re taking, and it’s also a good idea to have someone else drive you home following the procedure.

Mild® Procedure

We offer the minimally invasive mild® Procedure for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). This short, outpatient treatment removes a major root cause of lumbar spinal stenosis through an incision smaller than the size of a baby aspirin. The procedure addresses a major root cause of stenosis, by restoring space in the spinal canal to help improve back and leg pain. It has shown to significantly decrease pain from Lumbar Spinal Stenosis, and increase mobility. 

Our team at Garden State Pain and Orthopedics can help treat any form of lower back pain. For more information about Lumbar Spinal Stenosis, schedule an appointment by using the book now button. You can also visit our Services page for more information about our pain relief services.