Interspinous Spacers

It can prove difficult to find relief for patients who are suffering with chronic back pain or neck pain, especially if they suffer from spinal stenosis. This is where interspinous spacers come in. As the name suggests, these spacers provide additional space in the spine where the spine has narrowed, which ultimately puts pressure on the nerves. The California Pain Consultants team in the Escondido, El Centro, La Mesa, San Diego, Chula Vista areas are experts at providing interspinous spacers for their family of patients who need relief for chronic back pain or neck pain. 

What are Interspinous Spacers?

An interspinous spacer is a device that is inserted into the back of the spine, between the spinous processes. A spinous process is a small, wing-like projection of bone that points outward from each individual vertebra along the spine. It is where back muscles and ligaments attach to the spine, helping for both posture and active movement including rotation. 

Most often interspinous spacers help to treat the effects of spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis occurs when there is narrowing in one or more spaces of the spinal column, which places pressure on the nerves traveling through the spinal canal. This can cause feelings of incredible pain, as well as numbness, tingling and even muscle weakness. The spacer is placed between the spinous processes and gently opened, essentially “jacking” the spinous processes and opening the compressed passageways in the vertebrae, removing the areas of compressed bone and related nerve pressure. 

What is Spinal Stenosis? 

Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of one or more spaces within the spinal canal, which is where the spinal cord is located. Less space within the spinal canal means there is less space for the spinal cord and the nerve roots that branch off the spinal cord. This leads to nerve compression and irritation, which causes back pain and neck pain, as well as nerve issues. 

Spinal stenosis generally develops in men and women who are 50 years of age or older, and most often affects two main areas of the spine: 

• Lower back (lumbar spinal stenosis): the lumbar spine consists of five vertebrae in the lower back and is the largest section of the spine
• Neck (cervical spinal stenosis): the cervical spine is made up of seven vertebrae that are all located in the neck

While most often associated with osteoarthritis, additional factors that could cause the spinal canal to narrow include: 

• Spinal injuries and/or trauma
• Abnormal growths and/or tumors
• Herniated discs
• Thickened ligaments that bulge into the spinal canal
• Overgrowth of bone or bone spurs in the spine

Symptoms of spinal stenosis vary based upon where the stenosis is located in the body. In addition to feeling chronic low back or neck pain that includes pain, numbness, tingling or weakness, patients can also experience issues with walking or balance, or even bladder or bowel issues. 

What Does an Interspinous Spacers Procedure Involve?

Interspinous spacers are a progressive and minimally-invasive treatment method for alleviating chronic low back and neck pain that is generally caused by spinal stenosis. The design of the spacer itself allows for it to be implanted in place permanently without the use of any additional screws or hardware. This allows providers to be able to both preserve the spine’s healthy natural structure and function, but the spaces can also be removed if needed. 

The first step in treatment is for a pain management specialist to provide a diagnosis, which is done with the help of a physical exam where the provider will ask the patient to move, twist or bend and to report any feelings of pain. Imagine techniques, such as X-rays, MRIs and CT scans will also be used to help the provider get a more in-depth look at the spine with a goal to determine the location, type and extent of the problem. 

If interspinous spacers is determined to be the best course of treatment, the patient will be scheduled for a quick out-patient procedure in the provider’s office. A local or general anesthesia is usually given to numb the treatment area and make the patient more comfortable. A small incision is made through the skin in the area of the neck or back to be treated, and using fluoroscopic guidance the provider will introduce small tubes, and gradually smaller tubes, to reach the desired position between the spinous processes and the vertebra. The space is then inserted through the smallest tube and turned to its proper “open” position, which provides the needed space for the nerve to not be compressed anymore. The incision is closed in layers and the skin incision is secured with one or two sutures. 

The entire process takes around 30 minutes and due to the fact that the incision is small and there is no hardware involved, there is a very low risk of infection, minor blood loss, increased preservation of the spine’s range of motion, as well as a lessened recovery period. 

What is the Recovery Period for Interspinous Spacers Treatment?

One of the main benefits of an interspinous spacers treatment is that it’s a minimally-invasive treatment option that affords patients with relief from chronic neck and low back pain without having to ensure surgical treatments. This means a generally lessened rehabilitation period with less side effects. 

Patients are dismissed the same day of treatment with light pain medications. It’s recommended for the first few days to rest and only perform light stretching exercises. Activity can be increased over the next week, with most patients enjoying short walks before returning to normal daily activities. It’s generally recommended to utilize physical therapy to improve muscle strength and flexibility. Recovery time does vary from person to person, but most find that they can fully resume normal activities anywhere from two weeks to six weeks after the procedure. 

If you suffer from chronic low back and neck pain and believe interspinous spacers could provide you with the relief you need to enjoy your life again, we’d love to hear from you. The California Pain Consultants team in the Escondido, El Centro, La Mesa, San Diego, Chula Vista areas is dedicated to helping their patients increase their quality of life by utilizing the most minimally-invasive, safe and effective treatment options possible.