Osteophytes are bony lumps (bone spurs) that grow on the bones of the spine or around the joints. They often form next to joints affected by osteoarthritis, a condition that causes joints to become painful and stiff. Osteophytes can grow from any bone, but they’re most often found in the: neck.

Medical intervention is crucial for relieving symptoms of spondylolisthesis. This condition can cause chronic pain and permanent damage if left untreated. You may eventually experience weakness and leg paralysis if nerves have been damaged.

Nonsurgical Treatment for Spondylolisthesis

• Activity Modification and Bracing. If certain sports or activities increase lower back pain, your doctor may recommend taking a break from them until the pain subsides.
• Physical Therapy.
• Pain Relief Medication.
• Corticosteroid Injection.

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. Symptoms may affect your gait and balance, dexterity, grip strength and bowel or bladder function.

“The symptoms of spinal stenosis typically respond to conservative treatments, including physical therapy and injections.” Dr. Hennenhoefer says you can live a normal life with a spinal stenosis diagnosis and can work on improving your mobility and comfort.

Anyone with lumbar spinal stenosis who is experiencing pain that affects quality of life may be a good candidate for the Vertiflex procedure. Some patients who have been told they need major back surgery such as a laminectomy or spinal fusion may be candidates.

Anti-inflammatory medications, muscle relaxers, anti-seizure medications, and antidepressants can all help provide spinal stenosis pain relief.

Patients often find that activities/exercises for lumbar stenosis that are done in a bending – forward position are more comfortable.

• Some people find bicycle riding an enjoyable and rewarding activity.
• Others find swimming to be a positive activity, or water therapy (which is exercise in a pool).

How to perform a knee to chest stretch:

1. Lie on your back.
2. Bring your knee toward your chest.
3. Using your hands, gently pull your leg in until you feel a comfortable stretch.
4. Hold for 10 seconds, then place your leg to the floor.
5. Repeat with the other leg and hold for 10 seconds.
6. Repeat on each leg 3 to 5 times.

Most beneficial are flexion exercises such as situps, which bend the spine, Mr. Hagen said. “These are helpful because they open the space in the spinal canal and the lateral foramin.” Swimming and water exercises are very good, too, Dr.

Many of our patients are surprised to learn that sit ups can be bad for the low back. Sit ups and crunches are a common exercise done to strengthen the abdominal muscles, but researchers tell us that sit ups can damage the lumbar discs and they can even strengthen the wrong muscles.

VertiFlex™ Superion™ Another treatment option for lumbar spinal stenosis, if it doesn’t respond to other pain management techniques, is a procedure that increases the space in your spinal column without surgically removing the lamina or spinal bone.. In this treatment, Dr.

Symptoms of spinal stenosis stemming from the neck may include pain throughout the upper body, muscle weakness, or loss of coordination in the arms and hands. Sciatica is a condition of radiating pain throughout the lower back, hip, and leg. This pain is brought on by sciatic nerve compression.

Spinal stenosis can cause sciatica pain when the sciatic nerve root is irritated or impinged by the narrowing of the nerve’s passageway. When treating sciatica from spinal stenosis, flexion exercises, or forward bending, are often performed.

Sciatica can be a symptom of spinal stenosis. Both conditions occur when the vertebrae compress one or more of the spinal nerves, causing pain to spread mostly from the back to the legs. Sciatic pain involves the lower extremities, while spinal stenosis can affect the arms as well.

Because the pain of sciatica is often intense, patients may assume that something is seriously wrong. Actually, about three out of four people will improve in a few weeks. More movement and less sitting usually help, and patients can use over-the-counter med ication for pain relief.