- anaesthetic awareness
- birth injury
- brain haemorrhage
- cancer misdiagnosis
- cauda equina syndrome
- cerebral palsy
- cosmetic surgery
- dental negligence
- gynaecology errors
- laparoscopy surgery
- medical negligence solicitors
- neonatal conditions
- obstetric cholestasis
- surgery negligence
- gastric band surgery
- prescription errors
Spinal Stenosis
Thousands of clinical compensation claims are initiated every year in the United Kingdom by medical negligence solicitors on behalf of people from all walks of life. A multitude of operations and procedures are executed successfully however a small percentage do go wrong, laying the grounds for medical negligence solicitors to take legal action in order to claim compensation. Both legal aid and the no win no fee scheme are available to pursue medical negligence compensation claims.
Please contact us for help pursuing your claim.
Spinal stenosis involves a narrowing of one or more parts of the spine so that the spinal cord or spinal nerves can be inflamed and damaged. The most likely place where spinal stenosis occurs is the neck and lower back. Spinal cord stenosis can affect many spinal nerves or just a pair of spinal nerves and can involve weakness of the limbs, poor coordination and a loss of sensation in the trunk or extremities. Bowel or bladder function can become impaired and there may or may not be back or extremity pain associated with this condition.
Spinal stenosis is a common complication of age-related degeneration of the spine. Treatment can be symptomatic or definitive, depending on the degree of impairment.
The symptoms of spinal stenosis may or may not be there in spite of x-ray evidence indicating the presence of narrowing of the spinal cord. If the spinal stenosis is in the neck, you will find numbness or weakness in any part of the body. There can be pain in the neck or shoulders. Bladder and bowel control can be affected. If the spinal stenosis is in the lower back, you can see cramping or pain in the legs, especially when standing for a long period of time or walking for a long period of time.
There are age-related causes of spinal stenosis that increase as you age. These include the presence of osteoarthritis of the spinal vertebrae, degeneration of the disc spaces and thickened ligaments around the spinal cord and spine. You can also get spinal stenosis if you have Paget's disease of the bone, which makes new bone regenerate faster than normal. The bones can become deformed. Achondroplasia in the form of dwarfism can cause spinal stenosis. Any type of spinal tumor or spinal injury can narrow the spinal area so that the spinal cord is impinged upon.
Risk factors for spinal stenosis include being over the age of fifty years and suffering from some hereditary disease that causes a narrower spinal cord than normal people.
The diagnosis of spinal stenosis can be challenging. Plain spinal x-rays can show narrowing or widening of the spinal canal, particularly on a lateral spinal x-ray. If this doesn't show evidence of spinal stenosis, an MRI of the spine can show evidence of spinal narrowing at one or more areas. It can show if there is inflammation or damage to the spinal nerves. A test called a CT myelogram uses the CT scanner along with a dye injected into the spinal canal. It can outline the spinal nerves, the spinal cord, herniated discs, tumors and bony spurs.
The treatment of spinal stenosis involves the use of medications directed at pain relief. This can be narcotic pain medications or non-narcotic pain medications, along with the use of antidepressants at night time. Medications like Elavil are used to block pain fibers and improve the sensation of pain. Medications such as Neurontin and Lyrica are anti-seizure medications that reduce pain in nerves that are damaged.
Physical therapy can improve the outlook of spinal stenosis. Therapy can improve strength, range of motion and flexibility. It can stabilize the spine by strengthening the muscles and your endurance can be maximized. Balance and pain control can be assessed and can be improved with the use of physical therapy.
You can get injections of steroids to reduce the inflammation of the nerve. The injections can be given directly into the back. Intramuscular injections of steroids work systemically to reduce spinal stenosis.
Surgery is an option for those who can have their spinal stenosis corrected that way. The vertebrae can be trimmed or moved to make way for the spinal cord and herniated discs can be trimmed off the spinal cord. It is used when the spinal stenosis is disabling so that you have problems doing everyday activities or have chronic pain that isn't treated with lesser methods. A surgeon can do a laminectomy, which is a surgery that removes the back of the affected vertebrae so there is more room in the spinal canal.