What is worse lumbar or cervical stenosis?

The two types of spinal stenosis are lumbar stenosis and cervical stenosis. Lumbar spinal stenosis is the more common of the two, but cervical spinal stenosis is often more dangerous since it involves compression of the spinal cord.

What is the difference between cervical spinal stenosis and lumbar spinal stenosis?

There are two different types of spinal stenosis. The type you have depends on where on your spine the condition is. Cervical stenosis is when the neck area of your spine is narrow. Lumbar stenosis is when the lower back area of your spine is narrow.

How serious is cervical spinal stenosis?

Cervical stenosis is one of the most serious results of this degeneration. Also called cervical spinal stenosis, or simply spinal stenosis, the condition is most common in adults ages 30-50 and affects about twice as many men as women.

Can you have cervical stenosis and lumbar stenosis?

When this happens, nerve structures and/or the spinal cord can become compressed (eg, pinched nerve), which causes inflammation, irritation and pain. When the low back is affected the condition is called lumbar spinal stenosis, and if the neck is involved, cervical spinal stenosis.

Are there different levels of spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis can occur at one level or multiples levels at the same time. Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spaces within your spine, which can put pressure on the nerves that travel through the spine. Spinal stenosis occurs most often in the lower back and the neck.

Spinal Stenosis - Everything You Need To Know - Dr. Nabil Ebraheim

What is severe cervical stenosis?

Cervical stenosis is a condition in which the spinal canal is too small for the spinal cord and nerve roots. This can cause damage to the spinal cord, a condition called myelopathy, or pinch nerves as they exit the spinal canal (radiculopathy).

How many mm is severe cervical stenosis?

Spinal stenosis occurs when the canal narrows to 13 millimeters or less. When the size drops to 10 millimeters, severe symptoms of myelopathy occur.

Can you be paralyzed from cervical spinal stenosis?

In severe cases, cervical stenosis can cause major body weakness or even paralysis if the spinal cord is damaged.

How does cervical stenosis affect the legs?

With cervical spinal stenosis, it's common to feel numbness or tingling on one side of your body in your hand, arm, or leg. If left untreated, the tingling can turn into weakness in the arm or leg, and make it hard for you to balance.

What activities should be avoided with cervical spinal stenosis?

When should you have surgery for cervical spinal stenosis?

Surgical treatment of spinal stenosis is indicated if non-operative care fails or if there is neurologic loss or deficit, especially if the neurologic loss is progressive. Examples of typical neurologic loss or deficit include symptoms of numbness, weakness, loss of coordination or tingling in the arm or leg.

Is cervical spinal stenosis a permanent disability?

Spinal stenosis in some cases can be a permanent disability if it effects your ability to perform basic day to day functions. If you have spinal stenosis and you are unable to perform the normal functions of your job that makes it impossible for you to work, then you may be able to qualify for benefits.

How do they fix cervical stenosis?

physical therapy to relieve inflammation and strain while restoring range of motion in your neck. steroid injections near your spine to reduce inflammation and swelling that may be compressing nerves. chiropractic treatment to realign your spine so nerve irritation is relieved.

Can cervical stenosis cause fatigue?

While it doesn't cause active injury or trauma, chronic pain can wear down at you psychologically, and drain your body's resources as it reacts to that pain. Combined with the strain of your body managing the other symptoms of spinal stenosis, it's easy to see why this condition can cause chronic fatigue.

Can cervical neck problems cause lower back pain?

Cervical spinal cord compression by tumor or degenerated disk material can cause low back and leg pains which simulate the lumbar disk syndrome.

What does cervical spinal stenosis feel like?

Cervical spinal stenosis may cause mild to moderate burning or shock-like pain in the neck, shoulder, and/or arms. Abnormal sensations, such as tingling, crawling, and/or numbness may be felt in both hands. The arms and hands may feel weak.

How does cervical spinal stenosis cause death?

It occurs from spinal stenosis that causes pressure on the spinal cord. If untreated, this can lead to significant and permanent nerve damage including paralysis and death.

Can C5 C6 cause leg weakness?

An injury to the spinal cord at the C5-C6 level may cause pain, weakness, or paralysis in the arms and/or legs. There may be loss of bowel and bladder control or breathing problems in some cases.

Can cervical stenosis cause a stroke?

Conclusion: Spondylotic VA stenosis can cause hemodynamic TIAs and watershed strokes, especially when contralateral VA insufficiency is combined to specific neck movements. Low-amplitude neck movement may suffice in severe cases.

How does spinal stenosis affect walking?

If you have lumbar spinal stenosis, you may have trouble walking distances or find that you need to lean forward to relieve pressure on your lower back. You may also have pain or numbness in your legs. In more severe cases, you may have difficulty controlling your bowel and bladder.

What is critical spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spaces in your spine, can compress your spinal cord and nerve roots exiting each vertebrae. Age-related changes in your spine is a common cause. Symptoms include back and/or neck pain, and numbness, tingling and weakness in your arms and legs.

What causes cervical spinal stenosis?

A common cause of cervical spinal stenosis is degeneration, or wear and tear affecting the anatomical structures in your neck due to aging. That's why most people who have cervical spinal stenosis are adults in their 50s and 60s who may have had neck pain for several years.

How fast does spinal stenosis progress?

Spinal stenosis is generally not progressive. The pain tends to come and go, but it usually does not progress with time. The natural history with spinal stenosis, in the majority of patients, is that of episodic periods of pain and dysfunction.

What is the recovery time for cervical stenosis surgery?

A full recovery typically occurs between two and six months after cervical spinal stenosis surgery. This can depend, however, on whether you underwent a bone fusion. Recovery from a decompression alone is usually quicker than from a decompression with stabilization.

How can I prevent cervical stenosis from getting worse?

Having good posture and practicing proper body mechanics are some of the best ways to prevent stenosis from progressing and to ensure the health of your back. Good posture and body mechanics should be practiced all the time—whether you're sitting, standing, lifting a heavy object, or even sleeping.