Cervical Stenosis Specialist
Grant D. Shifflett, M.D.
Spine Surgeon located in Marina Del Rey, CA & Newport Beach, CA
Neck pain that doesn’t go away may indicate you have cervical stenosis. Grant D. Shifflett, MD, specializes in cervical stenosis and provides treatment and relief for patients in Marina del Rey and Newport Beach, California. Cervical stenosis, which refers to a narrowing of the spine, can cause pain in the neck, shoulder, and arm. If you think you have spinal stenosis and want to learn about your options, call Dr. Shifflett’s office today. You can even schedule your appointment online.
Cervical Stenosis Q & A
What causes cervical stenosis?
Your cervical spine, the seven vertebrae that form and support your neck, holds up the weight of your head and has a wide range of motion that allows you to move your neck in multiple directions with ease.
Because your neck continually bears weight, has limited support -- with only a few muscles and ligaments holding the neck in place -- and can move in so many directions, it gets a lot of wear and tear.
Over the years, this strain causes your spine to age, leading to a narrowing of the spinal canal. This narrowing compresses your spinal cord, nerves, and nerve roots (the place where nerves exit the spine to travel throughout the body).
In some cases, the body’s response to arthritis in the spine leads to bone growth, which causes bone spurs to form on your cervical spine. When these spurs make your spinal canal even narrower, the nerve root exits, irritating your nerves and increasing your pain.
What are the symptoms of cervical stenosis?
When you have cervical stenosis, the pressure on your nerves causes pain, especially in the neck, shoulder, and arm. This pain may be constant or come and go.
Beyond pain, you may experience tingling in your arms and hands, and sometimes they go numb. You may notice muscle weakness or have difficulty gripping things. Fine motor skills sometimes become more difficult.
How do you treat cervical stenosis?
Although Dr. Shifflett can’t cure cervical stenosis, he can reduce your pain and restore spinal function. If you have a mild case of stenosis, he may recommend minimally invasive procedures to restore your spinal function and reduce, or eliminate, your pain.
Often, Dr. Shifflett suggests a non-fusion approach to spinal surgery, including:
- Motion preservation technologies, which use devices to mimic spinal discs
- Artificial disc replacement, which replaces degraded spinal discs with artificial implants
- Posterior cervical foraminotomies, where Dr. Shifflett enlarges the narrowing area
- Laminoplasty, where he opens the nerve exit by creating a hinge
- Hybrid surgical approaches, where Dr. Shifflett combines any of the above techniques
If you think cervical stenosis causes your neck pain, seek the counsel of a fellowship-trained spine expert. Call today to schedule your appointment with Dr. Shifflett or book your initial consultation online.