Topic Overview
Is this topic for you?
This
topic is about spinal stenosis of the lower back, also known as the lumbar
area. If you need information on spinal stenosis of the neck, see the topic
Cervical Spinal Stenosis.
What is lumbar spinal stenosis?
Lumbar spinal
stenosis is a
narrowing of the
spinal canal in the lower back, known as the lumbar area. This narrowing occurs
when the growth of bone or tissue or both reduces the size of the openings in
the spinal bones. This narrowing can squeeze and irritate the nerves that
branch out from the
spinal cord. It can also squeeze and irritate the spinal cord itself. This may
cause pain, numbness, or weakness, most often in the legs, feet, and buttocks.
What causes lumbar spinal stenosis?
Lumbar spinal stenosis is most often caused by changes in the shape and
size of the spinal canal as people age. For example:
- Connective tissues called
ligaments get thicker.
- Joint disease
called
osteoarthritis leads to the growth of bony spurs that
push on the spinal cord.
- Discs between the bones may be pushed
backward into the spinal canal.
These conditions can lead to problems that narrow the space
in the spinal canal.
What are the symptoms?
If the spinal cord or nerves become squeezed,
symptoms may include:
- Numbness, weakness, cramping, or pain in the
legs, feet, or buttocks. These symptoms get worse when you walk, stand
straight, or lean backward. The pain gets better when you sit down or lean
forward.
- Stiffness in the legs and thighs.
- Low back
pain.
- In severe cases, loss of bladder and bowel control.
Symptoms may be severe at times and less severe at other
times. Most people will not be severely disabled. In fact, many people do not
have symptoms at all.
How is lumbar spinal stenosis diagnosed?
Your doctor can tell if you have lumbar
spinal stenosis by asking questions about your symptoms and past health and by
doing a physical exam. You will probably need imaging tests such as an
MRI, a
CT scan, and sometimes
X-rays.
How is it treated?
You can most likely control mild to moderate
symptoms with pain medicines, exercise, and physical therapy. Your doctor may
also give you a spinal shot of corticosteroids, a medicine that reduces
inflammation.
You may need surgery if your symptoms get worse or
if they limit what you can do. In these cases, surgery to remove bone and
tissue that are squeezing the spinal cord can help relieve leg pain and allow
you to get back to normal activity. But it may not help back pain as much.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Learning about lumbar spinal stenosis:
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Being diagnosed:
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Getting treatment:
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Ongoing concerns:
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Living with lumbar spinal stenosis:
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Cause
The most common cause of lumbar
spinal stenosis is age-related changes of the spine.
These changes include thickening of soft tissues and a gradual deterioration of
spinal
discs and
joints that connect the spine's vertebrae. Any of
these conditions can narrow the spinal canal. Spinal stenosis usually develops
gradually and may begin to squeeze
the spinal cord or its nerve roots.
Age-related degeneration often
occurs in association with certain disorders:
Other conditions that may cause spinal stenosis
include:
- An abnormally narrow spinal canal, which can
be an inherited condition.
- Spondylolysis,
which is a defect or fracture on one or both of the wing-shaped parts of a
vertebra. A vertebra may slide forward or backward over the bone below and may
squeeze the spinal cord or a nerve root.
- Spinal
fracture.
- Cancer.
- Fibrosis—which
is excess, ropy tissue much like scar tissue—from having spine surgery in the
past.
Symptoms
Many people older than age 50 have some
narrowing of the spinal canal (spinal stenosis) but do not have
symptoms. If the nerve roots or spinal cord become squeezed, symptoms may
include:
- Numbness,
weakness, cramping, or pain in the legs, feet, or
buttocks. These symptoms get worse when you stretch or extend your back, such
as when you walk (especially downhill), stand straight, or lean backwards. The
pain gets better when you flex your spine forward, such as when you sit down,
lean over a grocery cart, or walk uphill.
- Stiffness in legs and
thighs.
- Low back pain.
- In severe cases, loss of bladder
and bowel control.
The
nerve roots that pass through the lower (lumbar) spine
extend to the legs. So spinal stenosis most commonly affects the legs. The
classic symptom of lumbar spinal stenosis is leg pain that is present when you
walk or stand and that is relieved by sitting. Leg pain is often present when
the spine is extended, as while standing straight or leaning backwards. And leg pain is
often relieved when the spine is flexed, as in a sitting position or when walking
uphill or leaning over a grocery cart. Some people find bicycling more
comfortable than standing or walking. People with severe lumbar spinal stenosis
may have a habit of leaning forward in a stooped position to relieve
symptoms.
See a picture of
nerves commonly affected by spinal stenosis.
In some cases, the
severity of symptoms may not relate to the degree of the narrowing of the
spinal canal as seen on imaging tests. You may have very severe symptoms, but
tests show relatively little narrowing of the spinal canal. Or you may have
mild symptoms, but tests show a significant narrowing of the spinal canal.
So treatment is based not only on imaging test results, but also on how
bad your symptoms are and how they impact your normal daily activities and
quality of life.
Several
other conditions have symptoms similar to spinal stenosis.
What Happens
Spinal stenosis
usually starts gradually and develops over a long period of time. Narrowing of
the spinal canal can squeeze and irritate the
nerve roots that branch out from the spinal cord, or
it can squeeze and irritate the spinal cord itself. This may cause pain,
cramping, numbness, or weakness, most often in the legs, feet, and buttocks.
Symptoms may be severe at times and less severe at other times. You may be able
to relieve pain by changing positions. For example, leaning forward or sitting
may relieve pain, because it often reduces pressure on the
spinal cord or nerve roots. For mild to moderate
cases, nonsurgical treatment (such as medicines and exercise) can help relieve
symptoms and allow you to do normal daily activities.
Spinal
stenosis occurs most often in the lower back (lumbar) area. When it does occur
in the neck (cervical spinal stenosis) region, it may cause pain,
numbness, or weakness in the arms, hands, and legs. If it is severe, you may
also have trouble controlling your bladder or bowels.
The course
of spinal stenosis varies—it may stay the same, get better, or get worse.
Severe disability is not common. But if symptoms become severe, they may not
improve without surgery. Severe symptoms may restrict your normal daily
activities and affect your quality of life. If symptoms are still severe after
a period of time of nonsurgical treatment, surgery may be considered. Surgery
may not be an option for some older adults who have other serious health
problems that make surgery too risky.
What Increases Your Risk
The risk of having lumbar
spinal stenosis increases if you:
- Are older than age 50.
- Have a
history of spinal injury.
- Have
osteoarthritis (spondylosis) of the spine, which
results in disc deterioration, development of bony growths (spurs), and damage
to the
joints that connect the spine's vertebrae.
- Have a bone disease, such as
Paget's disease,
ankylosing spondylitis,
rheumatoid arthritis, or
diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, which may
soften the spinal bones or cause calcium deposits to form.
- Are born
with a defect or fracture of one or both of the wing-shaped parts of a vertebra
(spondylolysis), which may allow a vertebra to slide
forward or backward over the bone below, sometimes squeezing the spinal cord or
a nerve root. This slipping, called spondylolisthesis, usually happens at the
base of the spine.
- Have an abnormally narrow spinal canal, which
may be inherited or may develop in curvature of the spine (scoliosis).
- Have a
genetic (inherited) disorder in which the bones of the
arms and legs do not grow to normal size and the vertebrae of the spine do not
grow normally (achondroplastic dwarfism).
- Have had lower back
surgery, which may cause swelling that puts pressure on the spinal nerves.
Progressive spinal stenosis may occur, even after successful back
surgery.
When To Call a Doctor
Call 911 or other emergency services immediately if:
- A fall or injury—even a mild one—has caused
numbness or
weakness in one or both arms or one or both legs.
- Low back pain is accompanied by an inability to move the legs
(paralysis), confusion, or shock.
- You have a loss of bowel or
bladder control.
Note: If you suspect that someone
has had a spinal injury, call 911 or other emergency services immediately. Do not move the person unless there is an
immediate threat to life, such as a fire. If there is immediate danger, keep
the head, neck, and back supported and aligned while you move the person to
safety.
Call your doctor if:
- Leg pain is accompanied by persistent weakness,
tingling, or numbness in any part of the leg from the buttock to the ankle or
foot.
- Low back pain is accompanied by vomiting and/or
fever.
- Leg pain, weakness, numbness that
comes and goes (intermittent), or tingling persists longer than 1 week despite
using home treatment.
- Significant back pain either does not improve
or gets worse over 2 weeks.
- A back injury is work-related, and
symptoms do not improve in 2 to 3 days.
Watchful Waiting
Lumbar
spinal stenosis usually develops gradually over months
to years. If you have symptoms that come on suddenly, you may have another
serious condition and should call your doctor.
If
you begin to regularly experience leg pain when walking and standing, call your
doctor.
Who To See
The following health professionals can diagnose and
treat spinal stenosis:
Specialists who can treat spinal stenosis include the
following:
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.
Exams and Tests
Lumbar
spinal stenosis can usually be diagnosed based on your
history of symptoms, a
physical exam, and imaging tests.
Imaging tests that may be used to evaluate the condition of the spine
include:
- Computed tomography (CT) scan of the spine, which is used to evaluate bones and joints.
- Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine (MRI), which
shows the soft parts of the spine better than the bones. With spinal stenosis,
the position of the spinal nerves and evaluation of the space available for
them is easier to see on an MRI. Disc problems show up better on MRIs than on
CT scans. MRI may also show tumors, infections, and other
disorders.
- X-rays of the spine, which is used to
measure the extent of arthritis or injuries to the vertebrae.
- Myelogram, which may detect narrowing of the spinal
canal or abnormalities of the nerves branching off the canal. Myelography is
rarely used to diagnose spinal stenosis.
- Bone scan,
which is used to rule out cancer and other bone diseases.
- Electromyogram and nerve conduction tests are
sometimes done to see if you might
have problems other than or in addition to lumbar spinal stenosis. For example,
these tests can help detect nerve damage that sometimes develops in
people who have diabetes (neuropathy).
Your doctor may try nonsurgical treatment,
such as pain-relieving medicines, exercise, and physical therapy, for a period
of time before ordering imaging tests. If this treatment is effective, you may
not need tests.
In some cases, the severity of symptoms may not
relate to the degree of the narrowing of the spinal canal as seen on imaging
tests. You may have very severe symptoms, but tests show little narrowing of
the spinal canal. Or you may have mild symptoms, but tests show a lot of
narrowing of the spinal canal. So treatment is based not only on imaging test
results, but also on how bad your symptoms are and how much they impact your
normal daily activities and quality of life.
Treatment Overview
Lumbar
spinal stenosis is narrowing of the spinal canal that
usually starts gradually and develops over a long period of time. As the spinal
canal narrows, it can squeeze (compress) and irritate the
nerve roots that branch out from the
spinal cord, or it can squeeze and irritate the spinal cord itself. The goals
of treatment for spinal stenosis are to relieve pain, numbness, and
weakness in the legs, to make it easier for you to
move around (improve function), and to improve your quality of life. Treatment
includes pain-relieving medicine, exercises, and other nonsurgical measures,
and in some cases, surgical treatment.
Initial treatment
Unless your lumbar
spinal stenosis is severe, initial treatment usually
is aimed at relieving your symptoms without surgery. Most cases do not require
surgery. Nonsurgical treatment often works to allow most normal activity and
relieve mild to moderate symptoms of pain, numbness, and weakness in the
legs.
Nonsurgical treatment includes:
- Education about the course of your condition
and how to relieve symptoms.
- Medicines to relieve pain and
inflammation, such as acetaminophen and nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
- Exercise, to
maintain or achieve overall good health. Aerobic exercise—especially riding a
stationary bicycle (which allows you to lean forward)—can relieve
symptoms.
- Weight loss, to relieve symptoms and slow progression of
the stenosis.
- Physical therapy, to provide education,
instruction, and support for your self-care. Physical therapy helps you learn
stretching and strength exercises that may lead to a decrease in pain and other
symptoms.
If you have symptoms of
cervical spinal stenosis, testing and treatment may be
done earlier than in treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis.
Ongoing treatment
Lumbar
spinal stenosis often requires nonsurgical treatment
on an ongoing basis. Treatment may include:
- Medicines to relieve pain and
inflammation, such as acetaminophen and nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
- Exercise, which is
important for overall good health. Aerobic exercise—especially riding a
stationary bicycle (which allows you to lean forward)—can relieve
symptoms.
- Staying at a healthy body weight, which may relieve
symptoms and slow the progression of the stenosis.
- Physical therapy, to provide education, instruction, and support for your
self-care. Physical therapy helps you learn stretching and strengthening
exercises that may lead to a decrease in pain and other symptoms.
If medicines, exercise, and physical therapy do not
relieve your symptoms, your doctor may recommend an
epidural steroid injection (ESI). This injection
includes a combination of a
corticosteroid and a local anesthetic pain relief
medicine. These injections are used for pain that occurs mostly in the
legs.
Treatment if the condition gets worse
The course
of lumbar
spinal stenosis varies. Symptoms may be severe at
times and less severe at other times. If you feel numbness, weakness, or have
trouble standing or walking, it may mean that your condition is getting worse.
Problems with bladder and bowel control also may mean your spinal stenosis is
getting worse.
If you are experiencing a flare-up of severe low
back pain that is not relieved by other forms of treatment and you are unable
to engage in daily activities, your doctor may prescribe
hydrocodone or other
opioid medicines. But these
medicines do not work well for symptoms that occur in the legs. Also, the side
effects of opioids—such as mental confusion, drowsiness, and constipation—can
be more of a problem than the pain of lumbar spinal stenosis.
If
you have tried nonsurgical treatment for a period of time as determined by your
doctor but your symptoms have not improved, you may want to
consider surgery. Imaging tests (such as
MRI) will be done to find out the amount and location
of spinal canal narrowing. You and your doctor will want to
discuss the severity of symptoms, along with imaging test results, before
making a decision about surgery.
Back surgery (decompressive laminectomy with or without
spinal fusion) may be considered when you:
- Have severe symptoms of pain, numbness, or
weakness in the legs that restrict normal daily activities and have a negative
impact on your quality of life.
- Are in otherwise good health and do
not have other medical conditions that might make it harder for you to have and
recover from surgery.
The goal of surgery for spinal stenosis is to relieve
pain, numbness, or weakness in the legs—not to relieve back pain. People who
have surgery solely for back pain are less satisfied with outcomes than are
those who have surgery for nerve root symptoms and pain in both the back and
legs. Back pain associated with spinal stenosis is often not relieved by
surgery. Also, numbness, weakness, and pain may return after
surgery.
Spinal stenosis: Should I have surgery?
What To Think About
Epidural steroid injections
(ESIs) are usually only used to treat symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis that
occur in the legs. This treatment does not always work. And when it does work, it may only relieve symptoms for a short time. Experts are not sure about the long-term effects. Talk to your doctor about the
risks related to the number of injections he or she expects you will
need.
Surgery is usually not recommended for an older adult who
is able to manage symptoms with nonsurgical treatment and is able to do normal
daily activities. Surgery may be considered if the severity of symptoms and the
decrease in quality of life outweigh the risks of the procedure. Surgery may
not be an option for some older adults whose other serious health problems
increase the risks from surgery.
Prevention
Lumbar
spinal stenosis is most commonly caused by age-related
changes of the spine, which can squeeze the spinal cord or its nerve roots.
Some of these changes cannot be prevented. But you may be able to control the
severity of spinal stenosis by keeping your back healthy. Regular exercise and
flexibility stretches, a healthy body weight, and good posture are all
important to the condition of your spinal column.
Don't
smoke—smoking has been linked to back pain and disc problems. It decreases your
bone density and increases your risk of fracture and bone deterioration. Also,
smoking can make it more difficult for the bone to heal after a spinal
fusion.
If you have spinal stenosis, you can take steps to prevent
the condition from getting worse. You may have symptoms of pain, weakness, and
numbness in the legs, which increase your risk of losing your balance. If you
fall, you may aggravate your spinal stenosis. You can reduce your risk of
falling by:
- Limiting your use of alcohol and
sedative medicines, such as flurazepam (Dalmane) or
diazepam (such as Valium), which cause drowsiness or dizziness.
- Removing obstacles in your house that may cause you to fall.
Household hazards that can cause falls include slippery floors, poor lighting,
electrical cords, cluttered walkways, and throw rugs.
- Taking
medicines only as directed by your doctor. Review medicines
periodically with your primary care doctor, especially if you have more than
one doctor prescribing them. You may increase your risk of falling if you take
medicines such as sleeping pills or pain relievers.
- Wearing
low-heeled shoes that fit well.
Home Treatment
Lumbar
spinal stenosis is narrowing of the spinal canal that
usually starts gradually and develops over a long period of time. This
narrowing can squeeze and irritate the
nerve roots that branch out from the spinal cord, or
it can squeeze and irritate the spinal cord itself. Nonsurgical treatment may
be helpful in relieving or reducing the symptoms of spinal stenosis. Some forms
of nonsurgical treatment can be done at home, including:
- Taking medicines to relieve pain, such as
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or
acetaminophen.
- Participating in
physical therapy. Physical therapists can teach you
which movements will help, such as proper lifting positions, and which
movements will aggravate your stenosis, such as standing erect for lengths of
time.
- Exercising. Aerobic exercise as well as stretching and
strengthening exercises for the lower back and stomach muscles can relieve
symptoms and improve muscle strength, especially when done 4 or 5 times a week.
The most beneficial aerobic exercises include riding a stationary bicycle (with
the spine flexed in a forward position) and walking on a treadmill with an
incline.
- Restricting activities that make your symptoms worse.
Depending on the severity and location of your stenosis, these activities might
include walking (especially walking downhill) and standing for a length of
time.
Be sure to talk with your doctor before
you start home treatment.
Spinal stenosis may cause pain and
numbness in the legs, which increases your risk of losing your balance. You can
reduce your risk for falling by:
- Removing any obstacles in your house that may
cause you to fall. Household hazards that can cause falls include slippery
floors, poor lighting, electrical cords, cluttered walkways, and throw rugs.
- Limiting your use of alcohol and
sedative medicines, such as flurazepam (Dalmane) or
diazepam (such as Valium), which cause drowsiness or
dizziness.
- Taking medicines only as directed by your doctor. Review medicines periodically with your primary care doctor,
especially if you have more than one doctor prescribing them. You may increase
your risk of falling if you take medicines such as sleeping pills or pain
relievers.
- Wearing low-heeled shoes that fit well.
Medications
Treatment for lumbar
spinal stenosis is done to relieve pain, numbness, and
weakness in the legs and improve your ability to
function and your quality of life. Medicine may be used to relieve the pain and
inflammation caused by spinal stenosis. Taking
medicine in conjunction 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:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs), such as aspirin, naproxen, and ibuprofen, which may relieve pain and
reduce inflammation.
- Acetaminophen, which may relieve pain
but does not reduce inflammation.
- Opioids, to relieve
severe lower back pain that does not respond to other medicines. Opioids are
usually used only for short periods of time, to help avoid side effects from
the medicine.
- Epidural steroid injections (ESIs),
which may be used to reduce inflammation and pain in the legs.
What To Think About
Tell your doctor about any other
health problems you have and all the other medicines you take. This will help
him or her choose the pain medicine that will work best for you.
Some doctors don't recommend epidural steroid injections (ESIs). ESIs don't always help, the
symptom relief does not last long, and the long-term effects aren't well
understood.
Surgery
Surgery for lumbar
spinal stenosis is done to relieve pressure on the
spinal cord or the
nerve roots. During surgery, damaged parts of your
spine are removed. When successful, surgery enlarges the spinal
canal and relieves pressure on the nerves. This can help reduce pain, numbness,
and weakness in your legs.
If you have tried nonsurgical treatment
for a period of time as determined by your doctor but your
symptoms have not improved, surgery may be considered. Imaging tests such as
CT scan or
MRI will be done to find out the amount and location
of narrowing of the spinal canal. Before making a decision about surgery,
discuss the severity of your symptoms and the imaging test results with your
doctor.
Surgery may be recommended if you:
- Have severe symptoms of pain, numbness, or
weakness in the legs that restricts normal daily activities and quality of
life.
- Are in otherwise good health and do not have other medical
conditions that might make it harder for you to have and recover from
surgery.
Spinal stenosis: Should I have surgery?
In general, up to 80% of people are satisfied with the results of surgery
for spinal stenosis.1 For people with severe symptoms,
surgery can relieve pain and improve walking ability. But symptoms may return after several years. About 10% to 20%
of people who have had surgery need to have surgery again.1
Surgery Choices
The main type of surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis is
decompressive laminectomy, which relieves pressure on
the spinal cord or the spinal nerve roots. Laminectomy removes part of the
vertebra (bone and/or fibrous tissue) to create space for nerves. In some
cases
spinal fusion will be done at the same time to
stabilize the spine. Spinal fusion might relieve your pain and make it easier
for you to move around (improve function). It can also help keep the bones from
moving into positions that squeeze the spinal canal and put pressure on the
spinal cord.
Other Treatment
Physical therapy is
an important part of nonsurgical and postsurgical treatment for
spinal stenosis. Physical therapy can reduce pain,
improve function, and build muscle strength. Your
physical therapist may teach you exercises to
strengthen your abdominal muscles, which will help support your spine. You may
also learn exercises to help maintain flexibility and reduce
inflammation.
Other types of treatment,
such as alternative and complementary medicine therapies, are used by some
people to relieve pain from spinal stenosis. These therapies include
acupuncture,
ultrasound, and
transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. Experts do not know if these therapies can relieve symptoms very well.
Other Places To Get Help
Organizations
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RadiologyInfo
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| 820 Jorie Blvd. |
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| |
| Oak Brook, IL 60523-2251 |
| USA |
| |
| Phone: |
|
| Fax: |
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| TDD: |
|
| Email: |
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| Web Address: |
www.radiologyinfo.org |
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RadiologyInfo is a joint project of the American College of Radiology and The Radiological Society of North America. The site is designed to answer consumer questions about radiology procedures and therapies. RadiologyInfo has information on X-ray, CT scan, MRI, ultrasound, and other procedures. The information includes how they are used for diagnosis and treatment, how to prepare for the procedures, and what a patient may experience.
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North American Spine Society
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| |
| 7075 Veterans Boulevard |
| Burr Ridge, IL 60527 |
| |
| Phone: |
(630) 230-3600
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| Fax: |
(630) 230-3700 |
| Web Address: |
www.spine.org |
| |
|
The North American Spine Society (NASS) has a patient education Web site http://KnowYourBack.org. This Web site includes information on the cause, treatment, and prevention of neck and back problems. This information includes references and brochures to help patients make health decisions. NASS promotes education, research, and advocacy for spine care. NASS members include spine care professionals such as orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, neurologists, physical therapists, and researchers.
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| American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
(AAOS) |
| 6300 North River Road |
| Rosemont, IL 60018-4262 |
| Phone: |
1-800-346-AAOS (1-800-346-2267)
(847) 823-7186 |
| Fax: |
(847) 823-8125 |
| Email: |
orthoinfo@aaos.org |
| Web Address: |
www.orthoinfo.aaos.org |
| |
|
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
provides information and education to raise the public's awareness of
musculoskeletal conditions, with an emphasis on preventive measures. The AAOS
website contains information on orthopedic conditions and treatments, injury
prevention, and wellness and exercise.
|
|
| American College of Rheumatology |
| 2200 Lake Boulevard NE |
| Atlanta, GA 30319 |
| Phone: |
(404) 633-3777 |
| Fax: |
(404) 633-1870 |
| Web Address: |
www.rheumatology.org |
| |
|
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the
Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ARHP, a division of ACR) are
professional organizations of rheumatologists and associated health
professionals who are dedicated to healing, preventing disability from, and
curing the many types of arthritis and related disabling and sometimes fatal
disorders of the joints, muscles, and bones. Members of the ACR are physicians;
members of the ARHP include research scientists, nurses, physical and
occupational therapists, psychologists, and social workers. Both the ACR and
the ARHP provide professional education for their members.
The ACR
website offers patient information fact sheets about rheumatic diseases, about
medicines used to treat rheumatic diseases, and about care
professionals.
|
|
| Arthritis Foundation |
| 1330 West Peachtree Street |
| Suite 100 |
| Atlanta, GA 30309 |
| Phone: |
1-800-283-7800 |
| Web Address: |
www.arthritis.org |
| |
|
The Arthritis Foundation provides grants to help find a cure,
prevention methods, and better treatment options for arthritis. It also
provides a large number of community-based services nationwide to make living
with arthritis easier, including self-help courses; water- and land-based
exercise classes; support groups; home study groups; instructional videotapes;
public forums; free educational brochures and booklets; the national, bimonthly
consumer magazine Arthritis Today; and continuing
education courses and publications for health professionals.
|
|
| National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and
Skin Diseases (NIAMS), National Institutes of Health |
| 1 AMS Circle |
| Bethesda, MD 20892-3675 |
| Phone: |
1-877-22-NIAMS (1-877-226-4267) toll-free
(301) 495-4484 |
| Fax: |
(301) 718-6366 |
| TDD: |
(301) 565-2966 |
| Email: |
niamsinfo@mail.nih.gov |
| Web Address: |
www.niams.nih.gov |
| |
|
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal
and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) is a governmental institute that serves the public
and health professionals by providing information, locating other information
sources, and participating in a national federal database of health
information. NIAMS supports research into the causes, treatment, and prevention
of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases and supports the training of
scientists to carry out this research.
The NIAMS Web site provides
health information referrals to the NIAMS Clearinghouse, which has information
packages about diseases.
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References
Citations
- Isaac Z, et al. (2005). Lumbar spinal stenosis. In WJ
Koopman, ed., Arthritis and Allied Conditions: A Textbook of Rheumatology, 15th ed., vol. 2, pp. 2087–2092. Philadelphia: Lippincott
Williams and Wilkins.
Other Works Consulted
- Atlas SJ, et al. (2005). Long-term outcomes of
surgical and nonsurgical management of sciatica secondary to a lumbar disc
herniation: 10-year results from the Maine Lumbar Spine Study. Spine, 30(8): 927–935.
- Chou R, et al. (2009). Interventional therapies, surgery and interdisciplinary rehabilitation for low back pain: An evidence-based clinical practice guideline from the American Pain Society. Spine, 34(10): 1066–1077.
- Hu SS, et al. (2006). Cervical spondylosis section of
Disorders, diseases, and injuries of the spine. In HB Skinner, ed.,
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Credits
| By |
Healthwise Staff |
| Primary Medical Reviewer |
William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer |
Robert B. Keller, MD - Orthopedics |
| Last Revised |
April 15, 2010 |
