Can Spinal Stenosis Be Cured?

[Baybreeze]

Hi, I had central canal lumbar stenosis caused by: osteophytes, ligamentum flavum thickening and buckling and disc herniations. My pain was so bad I could no longer walk more than 20 to 30 feet and had to walk bent forward at almost a 90 degree angle. I also had horrible neurogenic claudication, plus on and off sciatica. I finally gave in and had surgery in Sept '06, which turned out to give me a big relief and was able to finally stand straight again, it was elating. I had multi level laminectomies from L3 through L5 with no fusion. Since then though, I had some scar tissue problems and possible discs herniating causing severe sciatica and nerve pains in my outer hip areas. But anyway, I was wondering....once someone has surgery for stenosis, are you considered cured of it and no longer diagnosed with it?

[Baybreeze]

Thank you for the reply. I did have physio and stretching and Stimulation. I never even stopped doing my PT exercises (soon it will be 2 years). I followed my doc's directions to a tee. So I think I did all I could. I do have spondylosis and DDD, which my surgeon explained to me before surgery could not be cured,etc. I also have PTTD and a collapsed ankle on right foot, plus lupus and possible fibromyalgia. So maybe it's also a combo of all of this, I don't know. All I know was my back problems started at 33 or 34 years old and by the time I was 37 I could really no longer walk anymore and had the surgery. I wonder is some of the spine problems could run in the family? My grandmother had bad spine problems and was in a wheelchair by age 40. My mother is older but also has alot of spine problems.

[Prem Pillay, MD]

Yes spinal stenosis can be cured. However some patients have recurrent stenosis usually from either scar or progressive degenerative disc disease.
An active and intensive spine physio program is recommended after surgery.
We are also using new generation materials at the time of surgery to prevent or reduce the chance of scar formation after surgery.

[missnuttess]

A related discussion, could surgery for spinal stenosis cause severe uncontrollable muscle contractions? was started.

[queenee289]

A related discussion, May I have updated material on Spinal Cervical Stenosis was started.

[Zak_Han]

Hi, I think your spinal stenosis can be cured,At moment,your pain is come from soft tissue inflammation around lower back area and degenerative disc disease ,Deep and intensive needls (Acupuncture) work for it,may be you can try...