The treatment options include:
- Medications
- Physiotherapy
- Acupuncture
- Spinal injections
- Surgery
Normally, we will start with the conservative methods first, failing which then more invasive methods will be contemplated.
Physiotherapy is usually administered for about 2 to 3 months before we decide if it works, or if other alternative treatment options are to be considered eg spinal injections.
However, if the patient's symptoms are severe or deteriorating despite physiotherapy, more invasive methods of treatment must be considered.
Please take note that spinal stenosis is actually a very heterogeneous condition with varying degrees of severity.
- It can be single or multi-level.
- It can compress only the exiting nerves, or the whole spinal cord, or both.
- It may be associated with spinal instability or deformity or both.
All these issues need to be factored in before we can discuss with the patient the optimal treatment.
