Spinal stenosis describes narrowing inside the spinal canal and mainly occurs from a corabination of aging and degenerative changes in the spine. Wear and tear on the parts of the spine can cause discs to bulge, spine ligaments to thicken, and joints near the spinal canal to become enlarged.
These can take up space inside the spinal canal and put pressure on the spinal nerves. Changes like these mostly affect people over 60 years of age. However, spinal stenosis also occurs in younger people who have abnormally small spinal canals from birth. Spinal stenosis usually causes back pain and leg pain that comes and goes with activities, such as walking.
DDD, is a term for the changes in the discs and is the 'catch all' phrase that many Dr.s use since this happens in almost 90% of people over the years in some form or another..
There are many non-surgical ways to help these issues with improving posture, PT, improving your core strength is crucial, flexibility with yoga and stretching daily, foster heart and lung fitness to improve blood flow which is also extremely important, use of anti-inflammatories, NO smoking, and keeping weight to a healthy level..
So many people rush to surgery when there are so many things to do to keep pain levels low.
