Stenosis of the neck is often brought on by aging anddisc herniation.

Symptoms may include pain, numbness, weakness, and problems with balance or coordination.

While the condition can be challenging to diagnose, it is treatable and manageable through various options.

Why Does Cervical Spinal Stenosis Happen?

CSS has many causes, including spinal changes and injuries that cause the spinal canal to narrow.

Congenital CSS is extremely rare.If someone has it, they were born with a narrow spinal canal.

Acquired CSS is much more common and results from wear and tear changes with age.

Epidemiological data suggest acquired CSS affects 1 in 100,000 people.

Additional causes of acquired CSS are:

Your risk of developing CSS increases with age.

Asymptomatic Cervical Spinal Stenosis

It is possible to have CSS and not experience any symptoms.

In this case, it is considered asymptomatic (no symptoms).

Even so, there is still a narrowing in the spinal canal of the cervical spine.

Asymptomatic CSS does not cause symptoms despite spinal canal narrowing.

Asymptomatic CSS is often found during imaging done for another purpose.

If the condition keeps progressing, it might lead to spinal cord or nerve compression.

The narrowing will worsen without treatment, and you will experience more severe symptoms.

They will then want to collect additional information from you and perform testing.

They may refer you to the appropriate healthcare provider for a diagnosis.

It may also cause nerve cells to become damaged, including the nerves that control urination and bowel movements.

In rare cases, it can lead toparalysisof one or both arms and legs.

Your treatment options include medications, physical therapy,complementary alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, and surgery.

Medicines

Your healthcare provider can prescribe medicines to treat the symptoms of cervical spinal stenosis.

It might also help maintain the spine’s flexibility and stability and improve balance.

Complementary Alternative Medicine

CAM therapies are used as alternative treatments and in addition to traditional therapies.

Even so, spine surgery today is safer than ever, and results tend to be positive.

In a few days, you will start physical therapy to help you adjust to the surgically treated bones.

It might also help rebuild muscle in and around the affected part of the spine.

This timeline might vary based on your surgery, health situation, and your healthcare provider’s practice.

Your healthcare provider will rely on imaging to monitor your healing.

Even following surgery and spine stabilization, it is still possible to experience pain and other cervical spine symptoms.

Fortunately, CSS responds well to both nonsurgical and surgical treatments.

CSS can sometimes be a progressive condition where inflammation of the spine leads to nerve damage.

CSS is a treatable and manageable condition.

Surgery is considered for people with severe pain and difficulties related to quality of life.

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