what is a severly stenosed cervical vertibrae?

Answer 1

I'm assuming that, unless you're an elite athlete, you must be at least middle-aged. The following article, from University of Maryland Spine Program, details what is involved in severe cervical stenosis. The "Cervical spine" is comprised of the part connecting your head to your neck. The "Spurs" they speak of refer to bony protrusions, like coat hooks, that come off each disc. As we get older and/or, tend to injur them, these spurs can lengthen, causing problems, such as "stenosis" (if it were in your HEART, it would mean "deterioration" of the tissue). Here, it means bone has deteriorated, but oddly, produced MORE bone in the wrong places (the spurs), which then presses on the spinal column. This can worsen, causing the nerve to degenerate. According to the article:

"Most neck pain is due to degenerative changes that occur in the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine and the joints between each vertebra. Perhaps the most serious of the problems caused by degeneration of the spinal segment in the cervical spine is the condition of spinal stenosis.

In the late stages of spinal degeneration, bone spurs from the degenerative process can cause a condition known as spinal stenosis. As the bone spurs form, the size of the spinal canal becomes smaller. The bone spurs begin to press on the spinal cord or the nerve roots. Pressure on the nerves in the spinal cord can cause numbness, tingling, or pain in the arms, hands, and legs. This condition is sometimes called cervical myelopathy. It is from the simpler problem where only one nerve root is being pinched by a herniated disc or a bone spur.

The purpose of this information is to help you understand:

* The anatomy of the cervical spine
* The causes and symptoms of cervical spinal stenosis
* How the condition is diagnosed
* The treatments available for cervical spinal stenosis

You should really view this site, since it give you all the info you need to understand what the doctors are telling you. If you don't understand some of the terms, write them down and ask your Dr. to explain.

Sometimes, surgery is involved, followed by rehabilitation. Other times, chiropractic adjustment can help, but it may be too late for that. Still, it's worth checking out, since, if you have THIS condition, you probably have other parts of your spine that are out of alignment.