A common cause of neck pain, especially in older patients, is cervical stenosis. Cervical stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal in the neck area or upper part of the spine. This narrowing places pressure on the spinal cord. While some patients are born with this narrowing, most cases of cervical stenosis occur to patients over the age of 50 and are the result of aging and “wear and tear” on the spi
Our patients in New Jersey with cervical stenosis usually have a history of some kind of injury or trauma to the neck, however, this trauma may have occurred many months or even years before the onset of stenosis sympto
The symptoms of cervical spinal stenosis our New Jersey specialists have noticed include the following:
The treatment our cervical spinal stenosis patients in New Jersey receive is always based on an accurate diagnosis. The comprehensive diagnostic process includ
Your doctor will talk to you about your symptoms, how severe they are, and what treatments you have already tri
You will be carefully examined for limitations of movement, problems with balance, and pain. During this exam, one of our New Jersey cervical spinal stenosis doctors will also look for loss of reflexes in the extremities, muscle weakness, loss of sensation or other signs of spinal cord dama
Generally, doctors start with plain x-rays, which enable them to rule out other problems such as tumors and infections. CT scans and MRIs give three-dimensional views of the cervical spine and can help detect osteophytes (bony growths) and herniated discs. Occasionally doctors use a myelogram. This is a test that involves injecting liquid contrast dye into the spinal column to show where the spinal cord pressure is occurrin
Most cases of cervical spinal stenosis are successfully treated with non-surgical techniques such as pain and anti-inflammatory medications. Depending on the extent of nerve involvement, some patients may need to temporarily restrict their activities and wear a cervical collar or neck brace for a time. However, most patients only need to rest for a brief time. Physical therapy exercises will also be prescribed to help strengthen and stabilize the neck as well as build endurance and increase flexibility
If non-surgical measures do not work, our neck pain experts in New Jersey may reccomend surgery to treat your cervical spinal stenosis. There are a number of surgical techniques that can be used to treat this condtion. Surgical options include:
Most patients can begin getting out of bed on the same day surgery is performed! Activity is gradually increased and patients are typically able to go home within a few days after their procedure, depending on the extent of the surgery. As with most surgeries, there will be some pain after the procedure. However, doctors have pain medications available that will help keep you comfortable. Doctors today take pain management very serious
At home, you will need to continue to rest. You will be instructed on how to gradually increase your activity. You may still need to take the pain medications for a while. However, pain and discomfort should begin to reduce within a week or two after surgery. Other techniques for reducing pain and increasing flexibility will be discussed with you before you leave for home. When you can return to work and other activities such as sports and driving will also be discussed with you by your New Jersey cervical stenosis doctor from IGEA Neuro