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Spinal Stenosis Pain
Spinal Stenosis Pain CausesSpinal stenosis describes a narrowing of the spinal canal. This is the area of the spine that contains the spinal cord and the lumbar spinal nerve roots (cauda equina). This passageway is usually more than wide enough to provide the cord with plenty of room to function normally. As we age, processes such as arthritis in the spine and degenerative disc disease contribute to the narrowing of this spinal canal. The condition can be diagnosed by spinal MRI or CT scan. Most patients discover that they have stenosis when undergoing imaging for an unrelated condition. They have not experienced any pain or symptoms from this condition… until now.The nocebo effect of this scary diagnosis can cause the start of symptoms in patients who demonstrated no back pain previously. It can also make the pain of pre-existing conditions much, much worse. The description of the spinal canal closing in and clamping down on your spinal cord is enough to scare anyone half to death! Spinal Stenosis Pain RealityStenosis is a normal condition to experience as we age. Arthritis and disc degeneration are also normal parts of our journey to old age. The majority of people with spinal stenosis do not have any pain. Of the few patients who do have pain, the stenosis is sometimes a coincidental condition. This means that the pain exists, but it is not coming from the spinal stenosis condition. The majority of these patients are actually suffering from psychological back pain which has been misdiagnosed. There are some patients with severe stenosis that can cause pain and neurological effects. These are the only patients who require medical treatment for their stenosis. The rest should be using knowledge therapy to discover the true causation of their back pain.Recommendation on Spinal Stenosis PainMild to moderate stenosis is usually nothing to fear. If you have stenosis, relax. It is not likely that it will cause you any significant problems in your life. Just make sure to keep perspective on the facts of the condition. If you subscribe to the nocebo effect of the condition, I can almost guarantee you will suffer greatly with pain. It is really a matter of knowledge over subconscious suggestion…For patients with advanced stenosis related spinal pain, take time to research your treatment options carefully. Do not rush into surgery and be sure to get more than one opinion on the best course of action for your individual case profile.
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