Oklahoma Pain Treatment Centers: Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis occurs when your spinal canal narrows and begins to put pressure on the nerves in your spine. This is often caused by osteoarthritis in the spine. People with spinal stenosis often experience pain in their lower back and legs after walking. This pain usually subsides after sitting for awhile. You may also experience other symptoms like cramping, numbness, or general weakness in the legs. People over the age of 50 are at risk for this condition (with women being more at risk than men). So what can you do about it? Oklahoma Pain Treatment Centers has some answers.

Firstly, it’s important to go to a doctor and confirm that the pain you’re feeling is, in fact, spinal stenosis and not pain from another source (like arthritis). Knowing what exactly is causing your pain is critical for proper treatment. Spinal stenosis can be diagnosed by looking at your physical history and x-rays. You may also have an EMG performed to check the nerves in your legs. After confirmation, you might ask yourself what treatment options are available?

Should all other options fail, there are surgeries that can be performed. But this is almost never needed. Exercise is important for maintaining the strength of your spine and helping to manage the pain caused by this condition. You may be referred to a physical therapist to help you design a workout that helps to best manage your pain. If you’re in too much pain to exercise, you may first be put on a flexion-based training program and then slowly worked up to walking, running, or swimming for 30 minutes a day, three times a week.

If you need help managing your pain caused by spinal stenosis or any other kind of pain, give Dr. Christensen of Oklahoma Pain Treatment Centers a call today at 405-751-0011!