Answer:
Yes
, you do have to live with it for the rest of your life. However, many patients with spinal stenosis live life in the absence of pain or with minimal symptoms.
Is spinal stenosis a permanent disability?
Is Spinal Stenosis a Permanent Disability? If you have spinal stenosis, and it is serious enough that you are unable to work or perform normal day-to-day activities,
it may result in permanent disability
and you might want to apply for Social Security disability benefits.
Can I have a baby if I have spinal stenosis?
Having a spinal cord injury (SCI)
does not affect your ability to naturally become pregnant
, carry, and deliver a baby, so your decision to have children is made in much the same way as anyone else.
How bad does spinal stenosis get you Disability?
Is Spinal Stenosis a Permanent Disability? If you have spinal stenosis, and
it is serious enough that you are unable to work or perform normal day-to-day activities
, it may result in permanent disability and you might want to apply for Social Security disability benefits.
What should I avoid with spinal stenosis?
- Avoid Excessive Back Extension. …
- Avoid Long Walks or Running. …
- Avoid Certain Stretches and Poses. …
- Avoid Loading a Rounded Back. …
- Avoid Too Much Bed Rest. …
- Avoid Contact Sports. …
- Consult a Physical Therapist. …
- Strengthen the Core and Hips.
Will I end up in a wheelchair with spinal stenosis?
The symptoms are often so gradual, that patients seek medical attention very late in the course of this condition. Patients may be so disabled and weak that they require the use of
a wheelchair
for mobility. In rare instances, severe spinal stenosis can cause paraplegia and/or bowel/bladder incontinence.
Will spinal stenosis cripple you?
Often, they present with symptoms of
myelopathy
which is the term used to describe neurologic symptoms related to the spinal cord. Myelopathy may cause permanent spinal cord injury and if left untreated damage may lead to paralysis or death.
What is considered severe spinal stenosis?
If
a spinal nerve or the spinal cord is compressed for long enough
, permanent numbness and/or paralysis can occur.
Does spinal stenosis hurt all the time?
Spinal stenosis is generally not progressive. The pain tends to come and go, but
it usually does not progress with time
. The natural history with spinal stenosis, in the majority of patients, is that of episodic periods of pain and dysfunction.
How do you prevent spinal stenosis from getting worse?
- Get regular exercise. Exercise strengthens the muscles that support your lower back and helps keep your spine flexible. …
- Maintain good posture. Learn how to safely lift heavy objects. …
- Maintain a healthy weight.
Is spinal stenosis a form of arthritis?
Arthritis is the most common cause of spinal stenosis
. While spinal stenosis can affect younger patients, it is most common in those 60 and older.
How do you fix spinal stenosis without surgery?
- Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs—commonly called NSAIDs—relieve pain by reducing inflammation of nerve roots and spine joints, thereby creating more space in the spinal canal. …
- Corticosteroids. …
- Neuroleptics.
Is a heating pad good for spinal stenosis?
Heating over tight muscles in the lower back
is often an effective way to achieve relief from spinal stenosis pain, as heating relaxes the muscles. Heating the affected area stimulates blood flow, which promotes and accelerates the healing process.
Can you reverse spinal stenosis naturally?
There is no cure for spinal stenosis
, but there are treatments to help relieve symptoms. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications can ease swelling and pain. If they don't do the trick, your doctor can prescribe higher-dose medication. Your doctor may also recommend cortisone injections.
What is the latest treatment for spinal stenosis?
VertiFlexTM SuperionTM
Another treatment option for lumbar spinal stenosis, if it doesn't respond to other pain management techniques, is a procedure that increases the space in your spinal column without surgically removing the lamina or spinal bone.. In this treatment, Dr.
How long does it take to get disability for spinal stenosis?
As with all conditions listed in the Blue Book, only those lumbar stenosis cases that have lasted, or are expected to continue, for
at least one year
will be considered for disability benefits.
