Understanding Foraminal Stenosis: Insights on Diagnosis and Effective Treatments

If you’re suffering from back and neck pain, one common phenomenon associated with it is Foraminal Stenosis.

Foraminal stenosis is also referred to as foraminal narrowing, foraminal compromise, or foraminal spinal stenosis. It commonly affects people over the age of 50, and it can degenerate into complications like sciatica.

In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Foraminal Stenosis, the causes, symptoms, and treatment options.

The vertebrae are a series of connected bones that make up the spinal column. The flat section of each vertebra is supported by intervertebral discs positioned above and below it. Altogether there are 23 intervertebral discs in the spine distributed across the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spinal segments. The primary function of the spine is to lend flexibility, stability, and support to the upper body.

Nerves within the spinal column transmit signals from the brain to the rest of your body. Such nerves run at each level of the spinal canal and eventually exit the column via small bony openings known as the foramen. These tiny channels are crucial because they aid in the free flow of information between the brain and the rest of the body via the central nervous system. Other spinal cord components are the surrounding tissue and bone, which protect the nerves from shock and impact.

Foraminal stenosis occurs when the openings between the spinal vertebrae begin to compress and narrow. This is often caused by herniated discs and degenerative spine disease and can constrict the spinal nerves. Because one of the nerve roots is irritated, this could impair the nerve’s capacity to function. 

Bending forward or sitting may temporarily alleviate foraminal stenosis pain because the space between the vertebrae increases in these positions. Also, people commonly walk in a “hunched over” position because it helps decompress the nerves. However, becoming inactive or walking in a bent/hunched manner can lead to other problems that will worsen symptoms or create new ones altogether. When you walk in a bent position, you risk muscle strain as your body tries to keep your eyes on the horizon instead of the ground.

Foraminal stenosis is very common in the lower lumbar region of the back.

Failure to treat foraminal stenosis or other types of spinal stenosis can result in permanent nerve damage and loss of feeling.

Deuk Spine Institute offers one of the safest and most effective neural foraminal stenosis treatments in the world. With a 95% success rate, fast recovery and it is easy to understand why people come from around the US to have cervical and lumbar foraminal stenosis surgery here. Get a free MRI review.

The spinal column that surrounds and protects the spinal cord is a robustly designed structure but retains flexibility at joints between hard bones called vertebrae. The column comprises 34 bones: 24 articulated vertebrae and ten naturally fused vertebrae of the sacrum and coccyx.

Each vertebra comprises a prominent cylindrical body and a vertebral arch. The spinous process and a facet joint on either side form the arch. Various sections of the vertebra are linked by muscles, ligaments, cartilage, and discs.

The spinal canal is the centrally located space between the arch and the vertebral body. The spinal cord is housed and protected in the spinal canal. The foramina (singular foramen) are additional side apertures on the stacked vertebrae where the nerve roots branch out of the spinal cord and leave the spinal canal to go down arms or legs. A pair of spinal nerves exit the spinal column through the foramina at each disc level of the spine.

A wide range of standard and less-known factors can contribute to the development of foraminal stenosis. In most cases, these conditions develop due to injuries to the joints surrounding the foramen, including the disc and facet joints. When disc or facet joint injuries occur from trauma, inflammation occurs, and scar tissue forms around the joints, causing adhesions between joints and nerves in the foramen. Also, ligaments get thicker and compress nerves. Finally, spinal alignment shifts can cause an even greater degree of narrowing of the spaces between bones, including the foramen.

The standard causes of foraminal stenosis include;

Foraminal stenosis usually develops gradually, with modest or sporadic symptoms at first. Specific actions or positions, such as rotating the head, might aggravate the pain by further compressing and inflaming the nerve in the neck. Symptoms may disappear totally for a short or long time after a flare-up before returning. When symptoms reappear, they might vary in intensity from mild to severe.

Foraminal stenosis does not cause pain independently. Pain, weakness, and numbness due to foraminal stenosis can be attributed to two factors:

Getting an appropriate diagnosis of foraminal stenosis requires a three-step approach.

Step One:

The first step is a medical review of the patient’s history. The physician in charge must adequately examine the patients medical records, which should have exhaustive information about past illnesses or injuries, medications, chronic health conditions, family history, and past medical procedures.

Step Two:

Once the first step has been completed, the information gathered is reviewed by the physician to eliminate specific scenarios and determine the best route in order to conduct further medical investigation.

The physician conducts a physical examination on the patient, paying particular attention to the affected region for any lesions, instability, and pain. It might also be necessary to incorporate some clinical examination into this stage to assess the affected body parts’ range of motion, reflexes, and perceived sensations.

Step Three:

The physician is sometimes compelled to call for a medical imaging test to determine the location and severity of the condition. The most common test applied in this condition is the MRI scan. The scan is also helpful for picking up on asymptomatic cases.

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Several therapies for foraminal stenosis are available, depending on the reason and severity of your symptoms. 

In minor cases, complementary therapy techniques might be sufficient to relieve the patient. These include: Stretches, Heat and cold therapy, Strength-building exercises, Hot massages, Acupuncture, Physical Therapy (as seen at the Total Spine and Orthopedics Wellness) and Weight loss which can also ease pressure on the spine and nerve roots.

The physician might also prescribe medication to ease pain associated with foraminal stenosis, such as:

• Aspirin (Bufferin) 
• Ibuprofen (Advil)
• Naproxen (Aleve) 

These are examples of anti-inflammatory pain relievers that many doctors would recommend. The patient must always take medication hazards and side effects into account. Warning labels should be read and followed carefully regardless of whether a medication is over-the-counter or prescribed. It’s also critical to inform your doctor or pharmacist about all prescriptions you’re taking, as well as any pharmaceutical allergies.

If non-surgical treatments fail to relieve symptoms, the patient and the doctor may consider surgery. The following surgeries are used in treating foraminal stenosis:

Foraminal stenosis is a progressive degenerative disorder that affects people as they get older. It is often impossible to prevent it from developing. Likewise, it is irreversible, and all treatment options only serve to alleviate the symptoms and effects of foraminal stenosis.

Fortunately, there are specific steps that can assist patients in minimizing the risk factors of foraminal stenosis and maintain healthy bodies well into old age. Many of these steps are related to lifestyle choices such as;

• Exercising regularly
• Avoiding excessive alcohol and other intoxicants
• Staying hydrated
• Keeping a balanced diet-with preference for calcium and fatty-acid rich food
• Staying fit and in shape
• Keeping good posture and avoiding sitting for extended periods