What Are the Treatments for Spinal Canal Stenosis?

The narrowing of the spinal canal is called spinal canal stenosis. It causes compression of the nerves in the spinal canal, which can result in pain and numbness. Treatment generally combines medication and physical therapy, but surgery may be required in some cases.

NSAIDs

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)--such as ibuprofen--help to reduce inflammation in the spinal canal and relieve moderate to severe pain.

Analgesics

• Analgesics can relieve mild spinal stenosis pain, but they do not have anti-inflammatory effects. Overuse of analgesics can cause damage to the liver and kidneys.

Physical Therapy

• Physical therapy sessions can develop the strength and endurance of your back muscles, which gives your spine added support and stability.

Braces

• If you are unable to do physical therapy to strengthen back muscles, you can use braces and other devices to improve back support and stability.

Steroid Injections

• Steroids injected directly into the spinal canal can provide immediate relief from pain and inflammation from spinal canal stenosis. You should not get more than three steroid injections a year because they may cause serious side effects.

Surgery

• When all else fails, decompression surgery can help reduce the pressure on the spinal canal. Recovery can take up to a few months. Surgery doesn't guarantee the non-recurrence of spinal stenosis.