SPINAL STENOSIS!

Spinal stenosis is a condition that affects 8 to 11 percent of the population. It is a condition which affects the spine; the narrowing of the spaces within/between your spinal vertebrae, which can put pressure on the nerves that travel through the spinal canal. It occurs mostly in the lower back and the neck, but can happen throughout the spine. Two vertebrae of the spine can be affected, or several in more than one area. Mostly occurs with wear and tear with age, but can happen at any age from injury (there is also a growing number of young person’s developing stenosis due to life style/habits). When the space around the spinal cord (in the spinal canal) narrows, this can compress a section of nerve tissue, which in turn can cause great pain and endless discomfort in the affected area and the limb a specific nerve supplies (e.g. weakened hand and grip, tingling or numbness, pain in the legs, arm, fingers, etc). This can make using the limb difficult. It can be treated with lots of pain medication and specialist pain management, and in severe cases spinal surgery to decompress the spinal canal. The condition is most common in adults ages 30-50 and affects about twice as many men as women. Stenosis of the spine can be severe and also cause something called Cauda equina syndrome (if in the lower back), which can cause problems with the bowel and bladder function, numbness in the saddle area, and weakness in one or both legs (Cauda equina syndrome needs urgent investigation and treatment to prevent the nerves becoming permanently damaged, as can lead to a person becoming wheelchair bound). There are different types of stenosis (the most commonly); Cervical stenosis affects the neck and can lead to loss of sensation, or use, of the lower limbs partially or fully - Lumbar stenosis affects the lower organs and legs, etc. Some persons with spinal stenosis live in a lot of pain and with mobility difficulty throughout their lives', and further degeneration occurs as time goes on - they can also find it hard to work and earn an income. There are alternative therapies out there, to avoid surgery, which also ease agonising pain, but these are not funded by the NHS.