In rare cases, patients can lose motor functioning the legs, bowel or bladder function. Many patients have modified their lifestyles, becoming more sedentary in an effort to control their pain. It is not uncommon for patients to have routine x-rays as part of their initial diagnostic testing routine. However, they cannot rule out spinal stenosis. CT scans without contrast are rarely definitive enough to aide the decision process.
Treatments can be either conservative or surgical.
Conservative treatments include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy and, occasionally, epidural steroid injections. These approaches generally provide temporary relief. For long term relief, surgery is the choice, often providing patients with years of relief and an improved quality of life. There are several different surgical procedures which can be utilized, the choice of which is influenced by the severity of disease. In a small percentage of patients, spinal instability make may it necessary for a fusion to be performed, a decision that is generally determined prior to surgery.