What is the treatment for severe bilateral foraminal stenosis?

Least Invasive Procedures The least invasive spine procedures used to treat foraminal stenosis include foraminoplasty, laminotomy and discectomy. Each procedure is designed to take pressure off the nerve and repair the tightening of your foramen.

What does moderate bilateral foraminal stenosis mean?

Bilateral foraminal stenosis details when the spinal nerve root is compressed on both sides due to narrowing of the foramen that may be caused by an enlarged joint, a collapsed disc space or a foraminal herniated disc.

Is bilateral foraminal stenosis bad?

For some people, the condition doesn’t cause any symptoms and doesn’t require treatment. However, severe cases of neural foraminal stenosis can cause paralysis. If symptoms do occur, they typically happen on the side of the body where the nerve root becomes pinched.

What does bilateral Foraminal encroachment mean?

Foraminal encroachment means that degeneration in the spinal column has caused an obstruction of the foramina, which are the open spaces on either side of the vertebrae through which spinal nerves pass on their way to other parts of the body.

How painful is bilateral foraminal stenosis?

The pain can be sharp or burning. In the lumbar spine, foraminal narrowing can cause low back pain and sciatica. Sciatica is characterized by one-sided pain, numbness, tingling and weakness that travels from the low back to the buttock, thigh, calf and foot. The pain can be sharp, burning, electric or achy.

Can you work with bilateral foraminal stenosis?

As these conditions suggest, foraminal stenosis is a serious medical condition that causes pain and restricted movement. Many people who have a foraminal stenosis are no longer able to work.

What happens if foraminal stenosis is left untreated?

Rarely, untreated severe spinal stenosis may progress and cause permanent: Numbness. Weakness. Balance problems.

How do you fix lumbar foraminal stenosis?

One of the most effective treatments for treating lumbar spinal stenosis is a procedure called laminectomy. This treatment removes part of the vertebra that’s putting pressure on your nerve.

What are the symptoms of bilateral foraminal stenosis?

What Is Bilateral Foraminal Stenosis? Foraminal stenosis, or compression of the nerves of the spine caused by narrowing, usually affects a nerve root on one side of the body.

What are the treatment options for lumbar foraminal stenosis?

Electrophysiological testing can also aid diagnosis. Treatment options include both conservative and surgical approaches. Conservative treatment includes medication, rehabilitation, and spinal nerve block.

What causes foraminal narrowing in the lower body?

Most of the conditions that lead to foraminal stenosis are age-related with degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis being the more common reasons in older people. Foraminal narrowing symptoms may vary in severity and may affect the lower or upper body – depending on where the compressed nerve root is.

How is foraminal stenosis diagnosed in the neck?

The condition is often diagnosed after years of symptoms. The extended period of symptoms indicates foraminal stenosis. It commonly occurs in the neck, but it can also occur in the spine. Imaging technology, such as MRI or a CT scan, confirms the diagnosis.1 Foraminal stenosis is a particular form of spinal stenosis.