Medications

Taking medicine along with other nonsurgical treatment is often enough to relieve pain and allow you to do normal daily activities.

Medication choices

Medicines used to relieve the symptoms of spinal stenosis include:

• Acetaminophen, which may relieve pain but doesn't reduce inflammation.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as naproxen and ibuprofen. They may relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
• Opiate pain relievers, to relieve severe pain that does not respond to other medicines. Opiates are usually used only for short periods of time, to help avoid side effects.
• Epidural steroid injections (ESIs). These are sometimes tried to help leg pain by reducing inflammation in the nerve root.

Surgery

Surgery is done to relieve pressure on the nerve roots. This can help reduce pain, numbness, and weakness in your legs.

Surgery may be recommended if:

• Your pain, numbness, or weakness is so bad that it gets in the way of normal daily activities and hurts your quality of life.
• You are in otherwise good health.

The goal of surgery is to relieve pain, numbness, or weakness in the legs—not to relieve back pain. People who have surgery only for back pain are less satisfied with the results than are those who have surgery for nerve root symptoms and pain in both the back and legs. Also, numbness, weakness, and pain may return after surgery.

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: Should I Have Surgery?

Surgery choices

• Decompressive laminectomy, which relieves pressure on the spinal nerve roots. This surgery may be done with or without spinal fusion.