Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Case Study

The spine is one of the most important structures in the human body. The spine is located in the dorsal cavity and consists of 24 bones, called vertebrae. These vertebrae play a crucial role in protected the body’s command center, the spinal cord. But what happens when a disorder prevents the spinal column from functioning correctly? Scoliosis is a musculoskeletal disorder that causes abnormal lateral curvature of the spine and it effects millions of people in the US per year. I have chosen this disorder because I am aspiring to become a chiropractor and scoliosis is a typical condition that chiropractors help treat on a daily basis.

This is a 51-year-old female with an 11/4/2013 date of injury, when she slipped and fell on a wet floor landing on her buttocks.

To investigate the signs of nerve root damage, the femoral stretch test and straight leg raise test is used to diagnose spinal nerve root back pain (Jackson & Simpson, 2006). These neurological tests help to reveal whether there are sensory, motor or reflex abnormalities in the body (Jackson & Simpson, 2006). If there is a suspicion of serious spinal pathology, investigations need to be assigned to eliminate the possibilities of infection, inflammation or tumours (Jackson & Simpson, 2006).

Intervertebral disc degeneration is a common disorder that is characterized by the progressive degeneration of the intervertebral discs, resulting in deformity and dysfunction. The structural and functional integrity of the spine in essence is compromised due to several issues, including inflammation, diminished oxygen, and deficiency of essential water and sugars, which are key components of intervertebral discs balance and proper function. In the United States, roughly 5% of the population experience chronic lower back pain problems, much of which is associated with the disorder. Intervertebral disc degeneration develops with age, and tends to be more prevalent in people who have problems with

Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) is not a disease as much as it is the normal changes in your spines discs as you age. This can be speed up by other primary issues such as continued trauma from carrying heavy packs on your pack such as going to college, or even more so when carrying 60 pound backpacks on force marches in the military. Spinal discs are soft compressible discs that separate the vertebrae that make up the spine.

A Spinal cord injury is a harm to one or all parts of the spinal cord. A spinal cord injury can affect many aspects of a person’s life such as making him weak and unable to perform daily activities. There are two factors that matter when it comes to spinal cord injury: the part of the spinal cord that is affected and the seriousness of the injury. Moreover, the seriousness of a spinal cord disease is distinguished by two terns: complete and incomplete. A spinal cord injury is complete, when it’s hard or become impossible to move the lowest part of the injured spinal cord. On the other hand, a spinal cord injury is incomplete, when it still possible to move the lowest part of your spinal cord even after an injury. Furthermore,

OI: 11/22/2009. Patient is a 46-year-old female certified nursing assistant who sustained a work-related injury to her low back while helping move/lift a patient. Per OMNI, the patient is diagnosed with status post lumbar laminectomy surgery on 07/26/10, lumbar degenerative disc disease, and lumbar radiculopathy. She was deemed to have reached permanent and stationary status by PQME Dr. Well last 12/01/11.

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS) affects a significant proportion of people in the population and can cause discomfort, limit activities of daily living, and can lead to significant disability. Even though numerous technological advancements have been made in the treatment of LSS, its management continues to be a challenge for both patients and healthcare professionals. Spinal Stenosis is a condition characterized by either narrowing of the spinal canal, also known as the Central Stenosis, or narrowing of the vertebral foramina (Delitto et al., 466). The combination effect of the loss of disc space, osteophytes, and hypertrophic lingamentum culminate to LSS (Genevay and Atlas 253). LSS is referred to as degenerative arthritis and the foraminal narrowing leads to a condition referred to as neurogenic claudication. Because of this narrowing, the spinal cord, and the spinal nerves are compressed thereby causing painful symptoms in the organs served by the affected nerves (Fishman 1141). Patients with this condition present with symptoms ranging from low back pain, general weakness decreased sensation to numbness of the limbs (Delitto et al., 467). Walking becomes a problem for people with this

The most common etiologies of herniated discs are trauma, expected effects of aging, and degenerative processes of the spinal column. Traumatic injuries to the spine can be caused by activities such as weight lifting solely using the back, falling on the buttocks or back, or resisting a sneeze. On the other hand, aging causes the nucleus pulposus to dry out and lose most of its elasticity, triggering it to tear and rupture out of the disc. Lastly, degenerative disease predispose individuals to malalignment and abnormal deterioration of the vertebral column (Grossman, 2013,

Lumbar spinal stenosis is what occurs when the nerves in the lumbar area of the spine (the lower back) are pinched. Sciatica, which is the common term for pain in the legs due to a compressed nerve, can be caused by lumbar stenosis. It is mostly caused by degeneration of the facet joints, or the joints between vertebrae, in the lumbar area, which expand and press against the spine and “choke” it, hence the term stenosis, which comes from the Greek word for choking.

DOI: 6/1/2010. Patient is a 52-year-old male truck driver/warehouse worker who sustained injury when he was struck by a cardboard roll that a co-worker was handing down to him.

Spinal stenosis of the lumbar vertebral column is commonly found in patients with chronic lower back, in combination with lower extremity pain. Methods of treatment for the condition include: Interlaminar Epidural Injection, Transforaminal Epidural Injection and Caudal Epidural Injection. Although there is a lot of literature to be found on Caudal Epidural Injections for pain relief related to Lumbar Spinal Stenosis, Interlaminar Epidural Injections are fairly new to the world of research. Manchikanti et al., of the Pain Management Center of Paducah located in Paducah, Kentucky, tested whether or not long-lasting pain relief could be accomplished with Interlaminar Epidural Injections, and if there was a significant difference in pain relief when injections were given with lidocaine, a local anesthetic, alone versus injections given with lidocaine and steroid.

Spinal stenosis treatment options have evolved over time and with surgical advancements. Treating spinal stenosis envisages several factors like soothing pained nerve fibers as these are impinged by the narrowed vertebral foramina by following.

DOI: 1/5/2007. Patient is a 51-year-old male supervisor who sustained a low back injury while lifting a platform scale with another employee. Per OMNI, he is status post lumbar surgery and right hip strain/pain. On the QME report by Dr. Raskin dated 2/3/2009, the IW was deemed to have reached P & S status with 16% partial disability. Future medical care includes: medications, physical therapy, MRI, and injection. MRI of the lumbar spine dated 10/16/2012 revealed possible partial left laminectomy at L4 and L5; L3-4. A 2.9 mm disc bulge which mildly impresses on the thecal sac and produces mild bilateral neural foraminal narrowing; L4-5, a 5.0 mm broad-based disc protrusion which moderately impresses on the thecal sac; and L5-S1, a 3.5 mm circumferential

Spinal decompression is the process in which the spine is stretched using a traction table with the ultimate goal being to relieve back pain and even leg pain. The procedure is non-surgical and it can even help you with herniated, bulging and even degenerating discs. It works by creating a negative pressure and this retracts and repositions the herniated disc. It also creates a pressure in the disc and this will cause an influx in nutrients and other various substances. We are experts in the field when it comes to spinal decompression and we are very proud to say that we are some of the best in the business.