Spinal Stenosis

What is Spinal Stenosis?

Spinal stenosis occurs when the spinal cord becomes painfully compressed by the narrowing of the spinal canal.

Your spinal cord is a delicate bundle of nerves that functions to coordinate voluntary movements, balance, and sensation between your brain—the site of intention and awareness—and your extremities. Because your spinal cord fulfills a vital messaging function, it is housed protectively within your spinal canal—a series of hollow openings that run successively through each vertebra of your spine.

When the bony anatomy that protects your spinal cord becomes injured or damaged, a degenerative cascade of events may be set into motion. For example: Ligaments that reinforce the spine may thicken; osteoarthritis may cause bony protrusions—known as bone spurs—to develop on the vertebrae or facet joints of the spine; and, intervertebral discs may lose their shape and balloon outward, herniating (or rupturing) as the mounting internal pressure becomes too intense.

As bones grow, ligaments thicken, and intervertebral discs swell, your spinal cord loses its natural real estate and may become painfully crushed or pinched—by the very anatomy that serves to protect it!

Additional causes of spinal stenosis may include:

Do your symptoms of nerve pain—the tingling, numbness, and loss of balance or motor skills—sound like spinal stenosis? Our Harvard-trained and internationally recognized surgeon, Dr. Frazier, has devoted his life to identifying minimally invasive surgical solutions that are effective for restoring spine health!

What are the Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis?

Because your spinal cord is responsible for regulating movement, balance, and sensation, spinal stenosis often renders walking painful or impossible, disrupts balance, and results in tingling or loss of sensation in the extremities. Although the severity of spinal stenosis may vary from a mild annoyance to an incapacitating burden, common symptoms may include:

Researching effective treatments to eliminate spinal stenosis? Dr. Frazier—orthopedic surgeon, accomplished researcher, and Harvard alumnus—has nearly 20 years of experience in delivering sophisticated nonoperative and surgical solutions to spinal stenosis!

What are the Treatments for Spinal Stenosis?

The preferred course of treatment for spinal stenosis often begins with exploring the full range of non-surgical healing options. In mild to moderate cases of spinal stenosis, more conservative techniques have demonstrated a high rate of effectiveness for eliminating neck or back pain. Recommended nonoperative interventions may involve pain management techniques (including over-the-counter, anti-inflammatory, or prescription strength pain relievers); epidural or steroidal injections; physical therapy; or alternative treatments (such as acupuncture, yoga, or massage therapy).

Despite these interventions, however, a small proportion of patients will witness a gradual worsening of their symptoms. For individuals who suffer from the debilitating or unremitting pain of spinal stenosis, Dr. Frazier—hailed by New York Times Magazine as a “Super Doctor”—may recommend one of the following noninvasive, outpatient procedures:

Although these techniques represent three of the most popular surgical interventions to correct spinal stenosis, Dr. Frazier evaluates the needs of each of his patients on an individual basis. Dedicated to providing the highest quality of patient-centered care, Dr. Frazier tailors each of his procedures to optimize a patient’s recovery time and to minimize post-operative pain.

Meet Dr. Daveed Frazier

Dr. Frazier is a Harvard-trained, board certified orthopedic spine surgeon. He’s held an academic appointment at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and New York’s SUNY Downstate. Dr. Frazier is also a respected lecturer, accomplished researcher, published author on spine disorders and treatment, and a consultant for several international spine companies.

After completing his undergraduate education at Brown University, Dr. Frazier attended Harvard Medical School, where he graduated cum laude. He completed a Harvard internship based at the New England Deaconess Hospital in Boston, MA, followed by a Harvard combined residency before becoming chief resident at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Spinal Stenosis

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