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Spinal stenosis with left side numbness

Posted by nanmora @nanmora, 4 days ago

I am 71-year-old female - always healthy except for minor lower back pain that started approximately 10 years ago. Fast forward to April 2020, I started noticing mild numbness on left side of my back in the thoracic spine area - not widespread. Due to restrictions during Covid, I did not see a physician until mid-2022. I have had numerous PT sessions at the referral of my doctors (3 physical therapists with 12 sessions each), numerous MRI’s and not until last month did any of the Doctors I saw tell me that it is Degenerative Disc Disease and Spinal Stenosis (full spine – Cervical. Thoracic and Lumbar). My entire left side of my body is now numb (that progressed rapidly), and I have shrunk 2 inches in the last two years. I continue to do some of the PT exercise daily; I have had Epidural injections, the latest of which had moderate results for my left leg. My back gets very weak as each day develops. I have an upcoming appointment with Neurosurgery and am pretty sure they will recommend some sort of surgery.
My questions for this group are:
1. Has anyone else had this?
2. If so, have you had surgery for this or another treatment?
3. If so, what surgery or treatment, and was it successful in remedying the numbness and weakness?
Sorry for the long post and thank you for any information you may have.

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gently | @gently | 3 days ago

nanmora, most of us of age have a degree of degeneration of the discs that can cause spinal stenosis. Depending upon the degree of stenosis, you might want surgery. Look at the stenosis that is causing numbness on the left. You might consider fusion at that level, artificial discs, or microdisectomy. https://www.hss.edu/health-library/conditions-and-treatments/microdiscectomy
The goal is to stop pain or numbness. You would probably want to reduce any compression of nerves that cause numbness in order to preserve the nerve.
If you have a copy of the MRI report, you might upload it here after eliminating personal information.
If you don't have it, you might want to request copy and request CD copies because you'll probably want second opinions. I'm not qualified to answer your question being without experience, but there are others here with valuable experience to share.

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nanmora | @nanmora | 2 days ago
In reply to @gently "nanmora, most of us of age have a degree of degeneration of the discs that can..." + (show)
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nanmora, most of us of age have a degree of degeneration of the discs that can cause spinal stenosis. Depending upon the degree of stenosis, you might want surgery. Look at the stenosis that is causing numbness on the left. You might consider fusion at that level, artificial discs, or microdisectomy. https://www.hss.edu/health-library/conditions-and-treatments/microdiscectomy
The goal is to stop pain or numbness. You would probably want to reduce any compression of nerves that cause numbness in order to preserve the nerve.
If you have a copy of the MRI report, you might upload it here after eliminating personal information.
If you don't have it, you might want to request copy and request CD copies because you'll probably want second opinions. I'm not qualified to answer your question being without experience, but there are others here with valuable experience to share.

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@gently - thank you for the thoughtful reply and things to think about!
I never thought about uploading the MRI - I might just do that as well.

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