Dr. Charles Ray of Spine-Health explains there are two types of spinal stenosis: lumbar and cervical. Lumbar is more common, compressing the nerve roots in the lower back and producing symptoms of sciatica, such as a weakness or numbness that travels from the lower back to the the buttocks and legs. Cervical stenosis is far more dangerous, compressing the spinal cord and causing pain in the back of the neck. Its symptoms include major body weakness or paralysis.
Step 1
Use a hot or cold pack. MayoClinic.com explains that if you suffer from cervical stenosis, a hot or cold pack might help relieve the pain in your neck. Whether you choose hot or cold, you should leave it on for only 20 minutes at a time and use every two hours.
Step 2
Use a cane for stability if your condition is lumbar stenosis, recommends MayoClinic.com. This device also might help with pain relief by allowing you to bend forward while walking. Doing so helps relieve the compression on the nerves in the lower back.
Step 3
Go for epidural injections. Dr. Ray states that while epidural injections relieve the pain of spinal stenosis for approximately 50 percent of patients, the doctor might attempt three injections over several months. Should this method work for you, you stand a fairly good chance of good results if you need surgery in the future.
Step 4
Try pain medications and multivitamins. Ray explains that anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen might help relieve your pain. He also states that some doctors suggest you take a multiple B-complex vitamin containing 1,200 mg of folic acid. But he also cautions that no concrete medical evidence exists to show that this vitamin has any effect on spinal stenosis.
Step 5
Attend physical therapy sessions. During physical therapy, the therapist devises exercises for you that can help you build your strength and endurance, improve your balance, maintain the flexibility and stability of your spine, and take control of your pain, as MayoClinic.com explains.
Step 6
Talk to your doctor about surgery. Your doctor will usually consider surgery only if other treatments have been unsuccessful, your symptoms disable you and your overall health is good. MayoClinic.com explains that the goal of surgery is to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots. In a majority of cases, surgery is an effective treatment, but for some the symptoms remain the same or become worse afterward.
Things You'll Need
- Hot or cold pack
- Cane
- Ibuprofen
- Multiple B-complex vitamin
