General Health : Spinal Stenosis
Back pain affects millions of Americans. One form of back pain is spinal stenosis, which is the narrowing of one or more areas of the spine. This narrowing puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves that extend from the spine. Spinal stenosis can lead to a loss of sensation in the limbs, pain or cramps in the back, shoulders, neck, arms or legs, loss of balance, and sometimes difficulty with bladder or bowel functions. Mild cases can be treated with pain relievers, physical therapy or orthopedic braces. For more advanced cases, surgery is sometimes required. This condition generally affects people over age 50.
For more information on spinal stenosis, don’t miss Health Connection’s free health talk tonight at 5:30 in the Mercy Conference Center. To learn more, visit stj.com or call Referral One at 625.2000. And, to learn more about the integrated services and physicians available through the Sisters of Mercy Health System, log on to mercy.net.
