Cervical Stenosis Patient Handout
Understanding spinal canal narrowing in the neck and treatment options
What is Cervical Stenosis?
Cervical stenosis is narrowing of the spinal canal in your neck. This compresses the spinal cord and/or nerve roots, causing pain, weakness, numbness, or balance problems.
Why It Happens
- • Age-related degeneration (50+)
- • Bone spurs
- • Ligament thickening
- • Disc bulging
- • Facet joint arthritis
Symptoms
- • Neck pain
- • Arm pain (radiating down arm)
- • Numbness/tingling in hands
- • Weakness in arms or legs
- • Difficulty with fine motor tasks (buttoning, writing)
- • Balance problems
- • Gait disturbance (in severe myelopathy cases)
- • Difficulty holding head up
Important: Myelopathy vs. Radiculopathy
Radiculopathy
Single nerve root compressed
→ arm pain/numbness
Myelopathy
Spinal cord compressed
→ can affect both arms AND legs, balance problems
Important: Myelopathy requires earlier intervention as prolonged cord compression can cause permanent damage.
Conservative Treatment
- • Physical therapy (neck stability)
- • NSAIDs
- • Epidural injections (cervical)
- • Activity modification
Success rate: 50-60% improve
When Surgery Needed
- • Progressive myelopathy symptoms
- • Persistent radiculopathy
- • Functional limitation
- • MRI evidence of cord compression with symptoms
MIS Surgical Options
MIS ACDF (Anterior Cervical Discectomy & Fusion)
- • Small incision approach
- • Disc removed, spacer inserted, fusion
- • Motion-preserving alternative: Artificial disc replacement
- • Recovery: 4-6 weeks
Success rate: 85-95%
Cervical Laminectomy or Laminoplasty
- • If multiple level stenosis
- • Removes lamina to decompress
- • Less invasive than open
Why Choose Greenberg Spine?
Dr. Marc Greenberg brings fellowship-trained expertise in minimally invasive and motion-preserving spine surgery to Fort Wayne. Our evidence-based approach combines the latest surgical techniques with personalized patient care.
Fellowship-trained spine surgeon
Minimally invasive techniques
Motion preservation focus
Evidence-based care