Spinal stenosis can lead to Pain in your buttocks, legs or feet that intensifies with movement or standing, but eases when sitting down. Walking and standing may make matters worse while sitting may improve matters.

Medication may help relieve your symptoms. Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen ) can reduce pain and inflammation to create more space for nerves.

Baclofen

Baclofen is a muscle relaxant used to help ease spasms and tightness of muscles caused by certain medical issues, such as multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury/disease. While it cannot cure these problems, it can help improve mobility and alleviate pain. Baclofen works on the central nervous system (CNS) to produce its muscle-relaxant effects; it is available only through valid prescription and comes both as tablets and liquid. Always read and follow your prescription label directions prior to beginning or refills!

Baclofen has been proven to be effective at decreasing spasticity in muscles affected by spinal cord conditions, including lumbar spinal stenosis. It works by altering the action of gamma-aminobutryric acid receptors located within spinal nerves and brain. By decreasing excitatory neurotransmitters while stimulating inhibitory ones – thus decreasing stiffness or tightness in muscles.

Patients unable to take baclofen by mouth may benefit from an implanted drug pump which administers it directly into spinal fluid. This device, also known as intrathecal baclofen (ITB), consists of an internal pump positioned just under the skin near the abdomen with an attached catheter leading directly into spinal canal – similar to an intravenous infusion of drugs such as IVIG. Once set up, this pump delivers predetermined dosage at regular intervals during day and night for more precise dosing with less adverse side effects than taking oral baclofen does and allows for greater precision of dosing accuracy when dosing is concerned.

Cyclobenzaprine

Cyclobenzaprine is a muscle relaxant used to manage spasms associated with spinal stenosis. Additionally, it can relieve numbness and tingling in arms, legs, and buttocks by blocking pain signals to your brain. Cyclobenzaprine may be taken alone or with other medicines to treat spinal stenosis. Common side effects may include clumsiness, unsteadiness, confusion, dry mouth, constipation and drowsiness. Methocarbamol is another muscle relaxant which may help alleviate spinal stenosis symptoms; its less sedating effect and lower rate of abuse are distinct advantages over other prescription medications. It blocks pain signals while relieving numbness, tingling and pain from damaged nerves while relieving numbness, tingling and pain from damaged nerves; commonly reported side effects include drowsiness dizziness stomach upset headache and nausea.

People suffering from spinal stenosis can often manage the pain with over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin, naproxen (Aleve) and ibuprofen (Motrin/Advil). General pain relievers like Tylenol may also help. Your physician may recommend antiseizure medicines like gabapentin or pregabalin to ease nerve damage-induced discomfort.

Spinal stenosis occurs when your spinal canal becomes narrower, restricting spinal cord function and nerves that branch off it. You may develop spinal stenosis due to injury or degenerative changes as you age (degeneration of spine). Lifestyle modifications may help you prevent or treat spinal stenosis effectively.

Methocarbamol

Methocarbamol is a muscle relaxant used to alleviate pain and spasms by blocking pain signals entering the brain. Compared with other muscle relaxants, Methocarbamol is less sedating and abuse rates are lower; moreover it has less side effects such as clumsiness, unsteadiness, dry mouth constipation, confusion. Methocarbamol tablets come in 500 and 750 mg doses and should be taken at approximately the same time every day; its brand name Robaxin may be available.

This medication should only be taken as prescribed, in accordance with any instructions from your healthcare provider. As it may interact with other medications or supplements you are taking, be sure to notify them. It may increase sedation when taken in combination with narcotic painkillers, alcohol or hypnotic medicines; leading to drowsiness, difficulty breathing or even coma in severe cases.

It should be taken with care by people with liver or kidney issues; excessive doses could build up in their system and become harmful. Furthermore, pregnant and nursing mothers should avoid this medication.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

Medication may help to alleviate the pain caused by spinal stenosis. Spine specialists usually advise nonsurgical treatments before considering surgery; NYU Langone spine specialists offer treatment plans including medications, physical therapy and other options.

Spinal stenosis occurs when there is narrowing of the space in the spinal canal (backbone), leading to pressure on nerves and spinal cord. It most frequently affects neck and lower back area, often causing intense pain, numbness, tingling or weakness in those affected.

Anti-inflammatory medications are among the most frequently prescribed treatments for stenosis. Common examples are aspirin, naproxen and ibuprofen – nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs commonly referred to as NSAIDs – these medicines help relieve pain by decreasing inflammation in your spine and joints allowing more space between vertebrae. Furthermore, NSAIDs block certain enzymes known as cyclooxygenase that promote prostaglandin production which in turn promote inflammation and blood flow.

If NSAIDs fail to offer sufficient relief, your doctor may recommend stronger doses or different types of NSAIDs. They could also recommend analgesics, which relieve pain without reducing inflammation; or anti-seizure drugs like gabapentin and pregabalin that change how your brain sends pain signals to the spinal cord and can relieve your discomfort by altering how pain signals travel from brain to spinal cord.

Tricyclic antidepressants

These medications work to alleviate depression and anxiety while relieving spinal stenosis pain, blocking serotonin reuptake to lessen pain signals in the spinal cord. TCAs typically come in small doses with gradual increases to avoid potential side effects – some common ones being Amitriptyline, imipramine and Nortriptyline.

Antidepressants can be used to treat an array of conditions, from mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder to anxiety, panic, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder; eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa; sleep problems like narcolepsy/narcolepia/bedwetting as well as physical symptoms like muscle spasms. They may be taken alone or combined with other medication in order to manage pain or manage anxiety/depression more effectively.

Tricyclic antidepressants may be prescribed off-label to alleviate nerve-type pain caused by conditions like diabetes, shingles, fibromyalgia and phantom limb syndrome. Available as tablets, capsules or solutions they have a sedating effect and may lead to dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation dizziness drowsiness changes in blood pressure heart rate electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities and can interact with many drugs so always speak with your healthcare provider before starting them. They should never be taken during pregnancy nor by those predisposed with preexisting conditions such as preexisting ischemic heart disease or histories of seizures as these could alter ECG abnormalities and electrocardiogram abnormalities may occur as well.

Epidural steroid injections

Steroid injections are powerful painkillers that can ease inflammation in tendons (tendinitis) or bursae (cushioning pads of tissue that cushion muscles and bones in joints). Orthopedic specialists often administer them for shooting nerve pain caused by herniated disks or spinal stenosis, narrowing the space around spinal cord.

Epidural Steroid Injections (ESI) combine anti-inflammatory medicine and anesthetic pain relief, in one treatment session. The medication is injected directly into the epidural area of the spine – outside the protective sac surrounding spinal cord and nerves – where numbing anesthetic relieves any pain during the procedure while corticosteroid reduces inflammation gradually to help alleviate herniated disk or spinal stenosis pain relief.

An epidural steroid injection involves lying on an x-ray table while your healthcare provider cleans the area where the needle will be inserted, before inserting the needle under fluoroscopic guidance into your epidural space. After the procedure has concluded, any numbing agents that were applied will wear off and you should take an over-the-counter painkiller or apply ice as necessary if any discomfort remains post injection.

Physical therapy

If the pain from spinal stenosis does not improve with medication, your doctor may suggest physical therapy and exercises to strengthen core and back muscles in order to alleviate pain and prevent future issues with your spine. If any exercise or stretch makes your discomfort worse or increases numbness or tingling sensations, stop immediately.

Finding the source of your discomfort may require medical exam and imaging tests. X-rays may reveal bone changes in the spine that make the space between vertebrae smaller, while magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), using large magnets and radio waves to create images of both hard and soft tissues within your body, can reveal damaged disks or tumors that could be contributing to it.

If your doctor suspects spinal stenosis as the source of your symptoms, they will perform an initial physical exam and collect relevant health histories before ordering an appropriate CT scan or myelogram with dye injection to visualize structures in your body and better understand your spinal cord and nerves. They may also recommend giving an injection with corticosteroid to reduce inflammation while an anesthetic helps relieve nerve pain in order to determine what area requires intervention.