ABOUT
Cervical stenosis alludes to narrowing of the spinal cord in the neck, which causes uncomfortable pressure. Such pressure usually results in a syndrome known as cervical myelopathy—a form of spinal cord injury that has a fairly classic clinical appearance.
The more common signs of cervical myelopathy include, clumsiness, weakness and stiffness in the arms and legs. Common to about half of cases are neck stiffness and deep, aching pain in the neck, shoulder or arm. Approximately one third of patients experience radiating pain (radicular symptoms). Additional warning signs include arm or leg dysfunction, gait and balance difficulties and nonspecific urinary complaints such as urgency or hesitancy.
Additionally, continual mild trauma from stenosis can result in myelopathy. Cervical stenosis can be seen without signs or symptoms of cervical myelopathy and is typically found in elderly patients.
TREATMENT
If the patient also has a radiculopathy (myeloradiculopathy), conservative treatment like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), arm pain may diminish through exercises specifically designed for cervical stenosis.
Surgical decompression of the spinal canal, however, is the only completely effective cervical stenosis treatment for myelopathy; symptoms rarely improve without cervical stenosis surgery to decompress the affected area.