Cervical Spinal Stenosis
CERVICAL SPINAL STENOSIS
Introduction
Cervical spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal in the neck. The spinal canal is the open area in the vertebrae that make up the spinal column. The spinal cord is a collection of nerves that runs through the spinal canal from the base of the brain to the lower back. These nerves allow us to feel, to move, and to control the bowel and bladder and other body functions. In cervical spinal stenosis, the spinal canal narrows and can squeeze and compress the nerve roots where they leave the spinal cord, or it may irritate the spinal cord itself. The 7 vertebrae between the head and the chest make up the cervical spine. Squeezing the nerves and cord in the cervical spine can change how the spinal cord functions and cause stiffness, pain, and numbness in the neck, arms, and legs. Other problems can include a loss of bowel and bladder control , or in other words incontinence. Cervical spinal stenosis can be crippling if the spinal cord is damaged. This paper will help you understand what causes cervical spinal stenosis, how the condition is diagnosed, and what treatment options are available.
Mechanism
Cervical spinal stenosis with cord compression can occur due to a number of conditions including the development of bone spurs, calcium deposits or thickening of ligaments. In the vast majority of people, this represents an advanced form of degenerative change in the spine sometimes referred to as "osteoarthritis" or degenerative arthritis. Since these changes take many decades to develop, they are rare in younger individuals. Injuries to the neck usually have uncertain relevance to spinal stenosis and sometimes blend with a long history of variable neck discomfort. However, some people have no significant pain. Occasionally, what compromises the spinal cord is a thickening of the ligament spanning the gaps between the laminae on the back side of the cord. More...
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