Ask Your Doctor these 3 Questions about Spinal Stenosis Treatment

If you have been recently diagnosed with any form of spinal stenosis, including lumbar spinal stenosis or stenosis of the neck, becoming educated about this disorder and its treatments is essential. When attending your first consultation it is important to be prepared with questions in order to get the most out of your visit.

The three questions below can help guide and inform you on the best plan of action to treat your spinal issues.

What should I expect from my spinal stenosis treatment?

Are there conservative treatments available that combine pain-relieving drugs and physical therapy? If so, how long does it take to see results? Surgery is a big step to undertake when considering treating spinal disorders. Depending on your age or athleticism, more conservative treatments might work for your situation.

If surgery is your only option, what does your recovery time look like? Will you need physical therapy and how long will it take before you can resume working? It is important to make sure you can plan the time needed to take off in order to have a successful surgery and healing time. Pushing your body too soon can be a detriment to your body and can even worsen your pain in the long run.

What happens if the first treatments don’t work?

If the treatment choices you plan to undertake don’t succeed in solving your spinal pain issues, what are the next steps that your physician will take? It is best to be completely knowledgeable beforehand of all of the possibilities so you are not taken by surprise later down the road. Some treatments are highly successful, while others can be more experimental. Keeping a clear understanding of your situation and possible outcomes is better for you mentally and emotionally.

What are some alternatives for spinal stenosis treatment?

If you are wanting to avoid surgery, make sure you find out about any alternatives available. Most patients do not need spinal surgery to ease or treat their spinal disorder. Alternatives can range from over-the-counter pain relievers to epidural injections in an effort to relieve pain and allow for physical therapy to help heal your disorder.

Here at NSPC, our award-winning multidisciplinary team specializes in innovative treatments to encourage the best outcomes for our patients. If you are in the New York or Long Island area and have concerns about your spinal pain, come see one of our spine specialists for a consultation. Our surgeons can answer any of the questions you might have surrounding your spinal stenosis treatment options. No matter what variety of spinal stenosis you have, we at NSPC are ready to help.