Spinal canal stenosis Number of OPs tripled - Often there is no need to undergo surgery

Bottleneck in the back: With spinal stenosis, not everyone would have to be operated
If patients often suffer from back pain, the question sometimes arises as to whether intervertebral disc or spinal canal is the cause. If there is a problem with the latter, surgery will be more frequent. Many such interventions would not be necessary.
Operations have tripled
In a vertebral canal stenosis (lumbar spinal canal stenosis), there is a constriction of nerve tissue in the lumbar region. In such cases, surgeons are increasingly resorting to a scalpel. As the health magazine "Apotheken Umschau" (1/2016 A) reports, the number of exonerating interventions has tripled in just ten years. "However, not every affected person needs surgery," explained neurosurgeon Dr. med. Sven Eicker from the Hamburg University Hospital Eppendorf. "First, you should always try a non-surgical treatment for spinal stenosis of the lumbar spine."

Too many surgeries due to spinal stenosis. Image: BillionPhotos.com - fotolia

Affected persons should weigh a procedure well
Other health experts advise that sufferers in a spinal canal stenosis operations should weigh well. Conservative and pain-relieving treatments are usually sufficient to keep the condition, which is reflected in leg and back pain and walking disability, at a level that patients can live with. Even sports in spinal stenosis is usually possible. In case of severe acute symptoms, such as paralysis, an intervention should not be postponed, according to "Apotheken Umschau".

Symptoms can be significantly reduced
Although pain and physiotherapy can not correct the basic anatomical problem, they still noticeably reduce the symptoms: "Physiotherapy exercises can make the spine more flexible again," explained Birte Gehrmann, a physiotherapist at the Athleticum at the University of Applied Sciences Eppendorf. When it comes to tips in dealing with spinal stenosis, professionals also point out most to avoid strong overweight as possible to reduce the burden on the spine. (Ad)