Cervical

Cervical spinal stenosis is a bone disease involving the 2.1 Non-surgical treatment narrowing of the spinal canal at the level of the neck. It is frequently due to chronic degeneration,[1] but may also Potential non-surgical treatments include: be congenital. Treatment is frequently surgical.[1] • Education about the course of the condition and how to relieve symptoms

1 Overview • Medicines to relieve pain and inflammation, such as acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

• Exercise, to maintain or achieve overall good health, aerobic exercise, such as riding a stationary bicycle, which allows for a forward lean, walking, or swim- ming can relieve symptoms

• Weight loss, to relieve symptoms and slow progres- sion of the stenosis

• Physical therapy, to provide education, instruction, and support for self-care; physical therapy instructs on stretching and strength exercises that may lead to a decrease in pain and other symptoms

2.2 Surgery

Potential surgical treatments include:

A human • Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion - A surgical treatment of nerve root or compression Cervical spinal stenosis is one of the most common by decompressing the spinal cord and nerve roots forms of spinal stenosis, along with lumbar spinal steno- of the cervical spine with a discectomy in order to sis (which occurs at the level of the lower back instead stabilize the corresponding vertebrae. of in the neck). Thoracic spinal stenosis, at the level of • the mid-back, is much less common.[2] Cervical spinal Laminoplasty - A surgical procedure relieve pres- stenosis can be far more dangerous by compressing the sure on the spinal cord by cutting the lamina on both spinal cord. Cervical canal stenosis may lead to serious sides of the affected vertebrae (cutting through on symptoms such as major body weakness and paralysis. one side and merely cutting a groove on the other) Such severe spinal stenosis symptoms are virtually absent and then “swinging” the freed flap of bone open. in lumbar stenosis, however, as the spinal cord terminates • - A surgical procedure in which the at the top end of the adult lumbar spine, with only nerve lamina of the is removed or trimmed to [3] roots (cauda equina) continuing further down. Cervical widen the spinal canal and create more space for the spinal stenosis is a condition involving narrowing of the spinal nerves and thecal sac.[4] spinal canal at the level of the neck. It is frequently due to chronic degeneration,[1] but may also be congenital or [1] traumatic. Treatment frequently is surgical. 3 References

[1] Meyer F, Börm W, Thomé C (May 2008). “Degenerative 2 Treatments cervical spinal stenosis: current strategies in diagnosis and treatment”. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 105 (20): 366–72.

1 2 4 SEE ALSO

doi:10.3238/arztebl.2008.0366. PMC 2696878 . PMID 19626174.

[2] Vokshoor A (February 14, 2010). “Spinal Stenosis”. eMedicine. Retrieved December 30, 2010.

[3] Waxman, SG (2000). Correlative Neuroanatomy (24th ed.).

[4] “Laminectomy”. Retrieved 19 December 2012.

4 See also

• Spinal stenosis 3

5 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

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