Spine Stenosis

My husband was in a car accident last summer and while he was in the hospital the doctors diagnosed him with congenital cervical spinal stenosis. He has always had a bad back and the chiropractor told him that he believed he had degenerative discs in his lower back. This, however, was the first time we had ever heard of congenital cervical spinal stenosis.

When he was admitted to the hospital he was complaining of neck and back pain so they ran some tests. They scans showed that he had congenital cervical spinal stenosis, which is a condition that exists at birth. It is not inherited but you are born with it. The definition of congenital cervical spinal stenosis is basically that you have a narrowing of the spinal canal in the neck. Your vertebrae or back bone cover the front of the canal and the lamina or bony covering form the back of the canal. With the canal itself being narrow, a person has an increased risk for spinal injury.

My husband was also confirmed to have degenerative discs in his back and because he also has congenital cervical spinal stenosis, he is at risk for numbness, tingling, and pain. The doctors have decided to watch him closely and if the need should arise in the future he may require surgery to fuse the vertebrae together. That would help increase his mobility and relieve some of his discomfort. Although there was no permanent spinal injury from the accident, he is suffering from increased stiffness and loss of mobility. The doctors feel in time this should improve with exercise and rest.

Congenital cervical spinal stenosis can go undetected for years. A person who does a lot of physical activities or sports, who un-knowingly has this condition, could potentially suffer from an injury that would result in permanent damage or even paralysis. Congenital cervical spinal stenosis is in itself not dangerous but the spine is not as cushioned or protected as someone without the condition.

When my husband was given the diagnosis of congenital cervical spinal stenosis he was told to be careful about sports and other physical activities. They told him that he should stay away from things that would be considered risky and that could result in a spinal injury. He was very lucky to have gotten out of the accident without any permanent and life long damage.