When to Consider the Vertiflex™ Procedure for Spinal Stenosis

Your spine relies on a canal to keep all of the nerves there from getting pinched. Unfortunately, anything from osteoarthritis to thickened ligaments can cause that canal to narrow. When it does, you get a whole host of unwelcome symptoms — and a spinal stenosis diagnosis. 

In fact, if you’ve been dealing with persistent back pain, it could be stenosis. Visit Dr. Jonathan D. Carlson here at Hawai’i Pain and Spine on the Windward side of Oʻahu in Kailua. He can help you determine what’s causing your discomfort. Perhaps more importantly, he can help you find relief.

If you’re living with lumbar spinal stenosis, that may mean exploring the Vertiflex™ procedure. How do you know if it’s right for you? If any of the following scenarios sound familiar, it might warrant a conversation with Dr. Carlson.

You get relief when you sit and lean forward

Spinal stenosis can cause pain in your back, buttocks, and down your legs. You might also experience weakness, tingling, or numbness in your legs. 

Sitting down can bring many people a measure of relief from these symptoms. If that pain alleviation gets even better when you lean forward, talk to Dr. Carlson about Vertiflex. With this procedure, he uses minimally invasive surgical techniques to place spacers in between the vertebrae of your spine. 

The reason you feel relief when you lean forward is because doing so lengthens your spine, easing pressure along your spinal column. If that works for you, Vertiflex can likely bring you relief by similarly adding space to your spinal canal. 

Your stenosis causes low back pain

The Vertiflex procedure is designed to alleviate lumbar spinal stenosis, which is the narrowing in your spinal column that causes low back pain. In fact, the Superion™ interspinous spacer that Dr. Carlson uses to ease pressure in your spine is specifically FDA cleared for use in the lumbar (low back) region. 

If your pain centers more on your upper back or neck, other solutions will likely target the cause of your discomfort more directly. 

You’re already considering spine surgery

If your lumbar spinal stenosis symptoms haven’t responded to more conservative treatment options (which Dr. Calrson can explore with you), you might be ready for surgery. Vertiflex gives you an alternative to traditional open surgery. Because it’s performed using minimally invasive techniques, it comes with fewer risks and a shorter downtime than open spinal stenosis surgery.

If you’re already thinking about surgery, talk to Dr. Carlson about whether or not you’re a candidate for Vertiflex. To get started, call our office to schedule your appointment today.