Doctors’ Pain Management Associates, LLC

dba: Advanced Neurospine Associates

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Orlando Spinal Stenosis Specialists

Are you suffering from spinal stenosis? If so, Advanced Neurospine Associates can help. Our team of doctors is here to provide comprehensive treatment for chronic lower back, buttock, and leg pain associated with the degenerative condition. From personalized physical therapy plans tailored to your individual needs and lifestyle to modern non-surgical treatments such as epidural steroid injections, the MILD® procedure, the Vertiflex™ procedure, and neuropathic pain medications, we’re here to ensure you receive efficient and effective care for your condition. Let us work together with you on a path toward relieving your symptoms and improving your quality of life.

 

What Is Spinal Stenosis and What Are the Symptoms of This Condition?

Spinal stenosis is a condition in which the spinal canal narrows and compresses the nerves located within. This narrowing causes painful symptoms of back pain, cramping, and numbing that can affect day-to-day activities. It is often seen in individuals over the age of 50 and can be caused by aging joints and spinal discs, changes to the spine due to surgery or injury, or thickening ligaments around vertebrae. Common treatments include physical therapy, heat/cold therapy to relieve pain, medications such as Gabapentin and muscle relaxants, epidural steroid injections for long-term relief from pain and inflammation, Vertiflex™, MILD®, and surgery if necessary. Understanding this condition is important for proactive steps to reduce its impact on daily life.

 

Interventional Therapies for Spinal Stenosis

Interventional therapies are commonly used to treat the neuropathic pain associated with spinal stenosis. Common therapies include neuropathic pain medications, epidural steroid injections, minimally invasive lumbar decompression (MILD®), and the Vertiflex™ procedure. Patients suffering from nerve compression often find immediate and lasting relief through neuropathic pain medications. Epidural steroid injections are low-risk treatments that have been proven to help reduce swelling of tissues near the spine, reducing the pressure on nerves causing pain that is worsened with standing and walking and relieved with sitting. Lastly, MILD® and Vertiflex™ are minimally invasive outpatient surgeries that perform lumbar decompression; relieving pressure on spinal nerves and in turn supporting nerve health. They are generally safe therapies that are gaining increasing popularity for their relatively low risk and high success rate in cooping with neuropathic spine pain.

 

Neuropathic Pain Medications

Neuropathic pain medications are an important part of managing the symptoms of spinal stenosis. Many of these medications work by blocking pain signals from traveling to the brain, providing relief for those who suffer from chronic back and neck pain due to the condition. Common types of neuropathic medication prescribed for spinal stenosis include anticonvulsants, antidepressants, systemic corticosteroids, and topical creams. While these medications can help manage pain levels, patients need to understand that preventive treatment through physical therapy, lifestyle changes such as regular exercise, proper diet, and weight management, stress reduction techniques, and bracing can provide long-term relief and improved quality of life.

 

Epidural Steroid Injections

Epidural steroid injections are commonly used to help manage the back and leg pain associated with spinal stenosis. The injection is performed using a contrast dye and an x-ray to guide placement to ensure accuracy and improve outcomes. Typically, patients report that symptoms, such as nerve-related pain, tingling, burning, and numbness, markedly improve following the procedure, providing relief for increased mobility and improved quality of life. While this is not considered a permanent solution for managing spinal stenosis, the vast majority of those who receive epidural steroid injections experience relief from their symptomatic discomfort for two to six months or longer.

 

MILD® Minimally-Invasive Spine Surgery

The MILD® procedure, which stands for Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression, is a safe and effective treatment option available to those who suffer from spinal stenosis. Endured by over 200 million people globally, spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spine that can cause pain and restrictions in movement. The MILD® procedure, a minimally invasive spine technique, addresses this condition by taking pressure off of the more compressed areas of the spine. Performed through a small incision, surgeons use specialized instruments to remove and trim away any offending tissue while preserving important structures such as ligaments and muscles. By doing so, nerve root compression can be relieved allowing for improved patient outcomes. Patients typically report experiencing an improvement in their symptoms soon after surgery and enjoy the added benefit of needing minimal downtime for recovery.

 

Vertiflex™ Minimally-Invasive Spine Surgery

The Vertiflex™ procedure is a minimally-invasive spinal procedure designed to treat lumbar spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal column that typically affects individuals over age 50. It’s an excellent example of how modern medicine is providing effective, non-surgical relief for back pain. The procedure involves interspersing tiny titanium implants between two vertebrae to widen the passageway for nerve roots to pass through the area. It can be done either under local or general anesthetic and can take as little as 45 minutes from start to finish. The distinct benefit is that most patients can achieve significant relief from their symptoms within days, allowing them to return to regular activities more quickly than traditional surgeries would allow.

 

Benefits of Interventional Therapies

Interventional pain management therapies, such as injections, nerve blocks, and ablation techniques, can significantly reduce the discomfort associated with spinal stenosis. These treatments employ advanced techniques and utilize various medications to target specific areas of the spine where the pain originates. The goal is to provide long-term relief by reducing inflammation and eliminating or suppressing nerve signals that cause pain. A combination of medical and interventional therapies can be highly effective in controlling the symptoms of spinal stenosis while helping patients improve their overall quality of life through the restoration of functional activity. With appropriate screenings, assessments, and ongoing follow-up care, patients can enjoy a full range of physical activities without having to worry about flare-ups in their condition. Interventional pain management therapies offer a safe way for individuals living with spinal stenosis to have relief from their painful symptoms and improve their mobility.

 

Risks of Interventional Therapies

Spinal stenosis can be a challenging condition to treat and management options should be approached with caution. Interventional pain management therapies, such as spinal injections, nerve blocks, radiofrequency nerve ablation, and spinal cord stimulation are some of the treatments commonly used in an attempt to reduce chronic pain caused by spinal stenosis. While these may provide temporary relief for some patients, there are risks associated with each of these treatments that must be thoroughly weighed when considering them as potential options. Potential complications include infection, pain at the injection site, compression of nerves or other internal structures from the medication administered via injection or implantation of electrodes, formation of scar tissue following procedures or injections, device failure/malfunctioning/infection related to implanted device components and/or leads and discomfort including the risk of variable intensities of pain associated with manipulation during treatment procedures.

 

Summary

Spinal stenosis is a condition that narrowing of the spinal canal. This puts pressure on the spinal cord and can pinch the nerves that travel through the spine causing pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness in the back, legs, arms, and shoulders. There are many interventional therapies available to treat this condition including neuropathic pain medications, epidural steroid injections, the Vertiflex™ procedure, and the MILD® procedure. Each treatment option has its own set of benefits and risks which should be discussed with your specialist before beginning any treatment plan. Interventional therapies provide patients with multiple ways to avoid invasive spine surgery, and offer significant relief from pain caused by spinal stenosis.

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