Spine Stenosis Treatment From Spine Specialists Near Lakewood, NJ

Spinal stenosis occurs when open spaces within the spinal column become narrower. Usually, this happens when excess tissue, such as herniated disc material, a bone spur, or a thickened ligament, encroaches on the spinal canal. While spinal stenosis is not a problem in and of itself, it can produce uncomfortable symptoms if the spinal cord or a nerve root is pressured or squeezed as a result. For instance, a compressed spinal nerve can cause localized and radiating pain, numbness, weakness, and tingling sensations.

The experienced spine specialists at Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute (AOSMI) near Lakewood, New Jersey, offer a full range of conservative treatment options to help alleviate spinal stenosis symptoms. We emphasize conservative treatment whenever possible, and we encourage our patients to take full advantage of our outstanding, in-house physical therapy program. When appropriate, our board-certified, fellowship-trained spine surgeons also offer advanced surgical procedures to address the source of spinal narrowing.

Spinal Stenosis Surgery

Our surgeons perform the following types of surgery to treat spinal stenosis:

• Laminectomy – A spinal decompression procedure, laminectomy is designed to reduce the pressure on a compressed spinal nerve by creating more space within the spinal canal. To do so, a surgeon may remove a portion of the lamina (bony vertebral arch) or a bone spur that has formed on a vertebra.
• Spinal fusion – If spinal degeneration has progressed to the point that it has rendered the spinal column unstable, a fusion procedure may be performed in conjunction with a decompression procedure. By helping two vertebral bones to grow solidly together into one unit, a spinal fusion can help stabilize the spine.

After your spinal stenosis surgery, our spine specialists will develop an individualized physical therapy program designed to help you safely recover and rebuild your spinal strength, endurance, and flexibility.

For more information about treatment options for spinal stenosis, contact AOSMI to schedule an appointment with a spine specialist at our office near Lakewood, NJ.