Cervical spinal stenosis means the spinal canal around your neck has narrowed, often due to arthritis or herniated discs. Cervical spinal stenosis is often difficult to diagnose, but MetroHealth providers have decades of experience in recognizing and treating cervical spinal stenosis.

Symptoms

• Tingling hands
• Dropping items often
• Back pain
• Loss of balance

Treatments

• Neck bracing
• Physical therapy
• Steroid injections
• Surgery to decompress the spinal cord

 

Failed back syndrome occurs when a previous back surgery fails to meet your expectations of pain relief. MetroHealth spine pain specialists are experts in treating failed back syndrome, working with patients to find the cause of your pain and find relief.

Treatments

• Injections
• Muscle relaxers
• Anti-inflammatory medication
• Physical therapy
• Surgery, including minimally-invasive surgery

Herniated discs occur when the soft tissue between your spinal bones pushes through its casing. Most herniated discs are located in your lower back, and can cause a pinched nerve resulting in symptoms far from the spine.

Symptoms

• Pain, numbness, or weakness in arms or legs
• Back pain
• Muscle spasms
• Tingling or burning sensations

Treatments

• Anti-inflammatory medication
• Physical Therapy
• Steroid injections
• Muscle relaxers
• Surgery

Lumbar spinal stenosis means the spinal canal around your lower back has narrowed, often due to arthritis or herniated discs. Lumbar spinal stenosis is often difficult to diagnose, but MetroHealth providers have decades of experience in recognizing and treating lumbar spinal stenosis.

Symptoms

• Back pain
• Relief when bending over, as you do when you push a shopping cart
• Burning sensation down the leg and in the buttocks
• Numb, tingling, cramping, or weak legs
• Loss of foot sensation
• Foot drop—foot weakness causing the foot to slap when walking
• Loss of sexual function

Treatments

• Steroid injections
• Core strengthening
• Physical therapy

Myelopathy (Cervical, Lumbar and Thoracic) is severe compression of the spinal cord, due to age, stenosis, infections, or injury. Sometimes people are born with myelopathy. Myelopathy can happen in the neck/upper back (cervical), lower back (lumbar), or middle back (thoracic).

Symptoms

• Numbness
• Tingling
• Weakness
• Incontinence

Treatment

• Physical therapy
• Anti-inflammatory medication
• Bracing
• Surgery

Pinched nerves/Bulging Discs: Called Radiculopathy, pinched nerves and bulging discs are caused by the irritation of nerves, sometimes caused by compression. Pinched nerves and bulging discs require expert diagnosis—the kind you’ll find at MetroHealth—to determine where the pain is coming from and how to find relief. Pinched nerves and bulging discs can occur anywhere in the back—from your neck to lower back.

Symptoms

• Pain
• Tingling
• Numbness
• Muscle weakness

Treatment

• Physical therapy
• Anti-inflammatory medication
• Steroid injections

Pediatric Scoliosis: MetroHealth’s team of physicians, surgeons, nurses, and therapists are experts in childhood spinal deformities like scoliosis. Scoliosis means that the spine has a sideways curve that looks like an “S” or a “C.” Scoliosis can be caused by something as simple as a difference in leg length, but it can also be caused by cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, injury, infection, or a tumor. It’s important to be seen and treated by a doctor to determine the cause of scoliosis, as well as relief for scoliosis.

Symptoms

• Uneven shoulders, hips, or shoulder blades
• Head not centered on body

Treatments

• Physical therapy
• Back brace
• Spinal fusion surgery
• Surgery to insert an expandable rod

Scoliosis means that the spine has a sideways curve that looks like an “S” or a “C.” Scoliosis can be caused by something as simple as a difference in leg length, but it can also be caused by cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, injury, infection, or a tumor. It’s important to be seen and treated by a doctor to determine the cause of scoliosis, as well as relief for scoliosis.

Symptoms

• Uneven shoulders, hips, or shoulder blades
• Head not centered on body

Treatments

• Physical therapy
• Injections
• Core strengthening exercise
• Acupuncture
• Massage
• Back brace
• Spinal fusion surgery
• Surgery to insert an expandable rod

If your scoliosis is caused by a tumor, our spine tumor orthopedists work to help patients be as comfortable as possible and to protect the body while working in conjunction with oncologists treating any cancer that may be present.

Treatments can include injections, core strengthening, acupuncture and/or massage or surgery.  Oour spine tumor orthopedists work to help patients be as comfortable as possible and to protect the body while working in conjunction with oncologists treating any cancer that may be present.