What Is Spinal Stenosis?
If a clinician or a scan report used the word stenosis, the next step is to understand it in plain terms. Start with a short definition, then prepare the questions you want answered.
Spinal stenosis in plain terms
MedlinePlus says spinal stenosis causes narrowing in your spine. It adds that the narrowing puts pressure on your nerves and spinal cord and can cause pain.
Where your own narrowing sits
Where in your spine the narrowing sits, how much there is, and what it means for you come from an exam and any imaging a clinician orders.
Steps to take before your appointment
- Write down any words from a report or visit that you did not understand.
- Note which part of your back or neck hurts and where else you feel symptoms.
- Read the MedlinePlus spinal stenosis page and the MedlinePlus pain page.
- Bring any scan reports you have, since they are part of the picture.
Learning the term before the visit
Understanding the term first makes the visit shorter and the questions better. For a visit in Bloomfield, the preparation is the same as anywhere else. Preparing is not the same as being diagnosed, and that part belongs to the clinician.