Spinal Canal Stenosis
Bone and spinal health are of great importance in preserving people's overall health status and maintaining their quality of life. For this reason, attention should be paid to spinal health. However, as a result of certain causes, different problems may arise in the spinal bones. One of the most important conditions among these problems is spinal canal stenosis. Canal stenosis, also defined in medical literature as Lumbar Spinal Stenosis, is a problem that is frequently seen especially in elderly individuals.
What Is Canal Stenosis?
Spinal canal stenosis (Lumbar Spinal Stenosis) is the calcification of the ligament and bone tissues around the spinal cord, and as a result, pressure is placed on the spinal cord and nerves. In patients diagnosed with spinal canal stenosis, treatment planning is carried out with surgical methods. Any non-surgical method is not sufficient to treat the problem of canal stenosis.
What Are the Symptoms of Canal Stenosis?
There are many similarities between the symptoms of canal stenosis and the symptoms of a lumbar disc herniation. For this reason, many patients consult a doctor with complaints of lumbar disc herniation. Although spinal canal stenosis usually does not show any symptoms in patients, the common symptoms can be listed as follows;
- Back pain
- Pain in the legs
- Cramps that occur especially at night
- Numbness
- Loss of strength in the legs
- Bowel problems
- Inability to stand for a long time
- Difficulty walking for a long time
- Difficulty standing upright
Patients feel the need to sit down or squat after standing for a long time or walking for a long time. For this reason, they become unable to walk much and exceed their ideal weight. As a result, in patients who are above their ideal weight, the treatment process becomes prolonged and the recovery period takes longer. Therefore, patients experiencing spinal canal stenosis should not postpone their treatment.
Treatment of Spinal Canal Stenosis
Treatment of canal stenosis, which is defined as the calcification of the bone tissues surrounding the vertebrae and, as a result, pressure being placed on the vertebrae, is only possible with surgical methods. All other methods may relieve the symptoms caused by the problem, but they do not eliminate the canal stenosis problem. In spinal canal stenosis, surgical methods are generally preferred in order to restore the patient’s quality of daily life.
With the expansion of scientific studies and the use of technological developments in the field of medicine, diagnostic and treatment methods have also improved. Thus, a highly comfortable treatment and recovery process is provided for both doctors and patients. Today, microsurgical methods are used in the surgical treatment of spinal canal stenosis.
Canal Stenosis Surgery with the Microsurgical Method
Today, surgical methods are used in the treatment process in order to provide pain control in patients experiencing spinal canal stenosis, improve weakness in the legs, and regulate urinary control. Nowadays, canal stenosis surgery is frequently performed using the microsurgical technique.
In order for the microsurgical method to be used in canal stenosis surgery, the patient must have a proper spinal structure and also be at an ideal weight. In the surgery performed, the pressure on the spine is removed and the area is relieved.
With the microsurgical method applied by specialist surgeons, the patient’s complaints such as pain, weakness, and limitation of movement are eliminated, and problems such as urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction are prevented.
Things to Consider After Canal Stenosis Surgery
- After the surgery, the patient can go home sitting in a vehicle.
- It is very important to protect the surgical area from traumatic events such as any impact, accident, or collision.
- In the early period after surgery, care should be taken while climbing stairs, sitting, standing up, and bending, and these movements should be performed as recommended by the doctor.
- The bed should be chosen with features that help protect lower back health.
- A Western-style toilet should be preferred.
- Living spaces such as the home or workplace should be arranged in a way that is suitable for holding on and getting support.
- Heavy lifting should be avoided.
- Two months after the surgery, physical therapy and rehabilitation practices should not be neglected under doctor supervision.
- Exercise programs should not be neglected.
- Foods high in calcium should be consumed frequently in order to strengthen muscle and bone tissue.
