What are the serious symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis

Lumbar spinal stenosis is a relatively common disease. It is caused by some reason that the diameter of the lumbar spinal canal is shortened, which compresses the corresponding nerve tissue. It often causes patients to experience lower limb weakness and numbness, and motor function is greatly restricted. It may even cause difficulty in movement and intermittent claudication. In addition, patients will experience long-term low back pain, leg pain, cold lower limbs, poor blood circulation, etc.

Clinical manifestations

The disease often has an insidious onset and a slow course, and is more common in men between the ages of 40 and 50. The causes of stenosis are very complex. Depending on the clinical location of the stenosis, typical symptoms of patients may include: long-term lumbar pain, leg pain, progressive weakness and numbness of both lower limbs, intermittent claudication, and difficulty walking.

The numbness may gradually develop from the feet to the calves, thighs and lumbar region, and a feeling of tightness may appear in the abdomen. In severe cases, abnormal urination and defecation, paraplegia, etc. may occur. Hyperextension of the waist can cause increased numbness and pain in the lower limbs. This is a positive hyperextension test and is an important sign for diagnosing spinal stenosis.

treat

Mild and early cases of lumbar spinal stenosis are mainly treated with non-surgical treatment. If they are ineffective, surgical spinal canal decompression/+ fixation fusion is required.

1. Non-surgical treatment

(1) Traditional non-surgical treatments mainly include ① abdominal muscle training; ② waist protection; ③ symptomatic treatment: physical therapy, massage, topical medication, etc.

(2) Drug treatment mainly uses traditional Chinese medicine.

(3) Epidural closure is effective for some patients and can significantly alleviate the symptoms of intermittent claudication.

2. Surgery

Surgical treatment is mainly suitable for: patients who have not responded to non-surgical treatment; patients with obvious radicular symptoms; patients with secondary lumbar spinal stenosis, progressive lumbar spondylolisthesis, and patients with lumbar scoliosis or kyphosis, who have corresponding clinical symptoms and signs.

(1) Cases requiring decompression can be treated with conventional treatments including fenestration, hemilaminectomy, total laminectomy, etc., or with minimally invasive techniques.

(2) For cases requiring "decompression + fixation", traditional conventional treatment methods or minimally invasive treatment techniques can be used. Fusion techniques include posterolateral intertransverse process fusion, posterior interlaminar fusion, and intervertebral fusion.

prevention

The prevention of lumbar spinal stenosis is actually the prevention of lumbar degenerative diseases.

1. Protection of waist

The bed should be of moderate hardness and softness; protect your waist from wind and cold; avoid keeping your waist in one position for a long time.

2. Waist application

Use your waist correctly. When lifting heavy objects, you should squat first. When using your waist for too long, you should change your waist posture and do more waist exercises to prevent gradual strain.

3. Waist health exercises

Adhere to the health exercises for the waist and regularly perform activities in all directions of the lumbar spine.