2030 spinal stenosis patients are rapidly increasing. (Provided by Getty Image Bank)
The spinal stenosis, which was recognized as a middle -aged disease, is spreading to young people. According to a recent statistics published by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of patients with spinal stenosis in their 20s and 30s increased nearly three times from 32,261 in 2022 to 9,599 in 2024.
Spinal stenosis is a disease that causes back pain and leg numbness by pressing the nerve by pressing the spinal tube, which is a passage through which the central nerve passes as the joints and joints become thicker. The main reason is that the degenerative changes in which the disk in the front of the spinal tube is escaped, the rear structure, which is the rear structure, and the yellow ligament becomes thicker. The most common symptom of spinal canal stenosis is intermittent lamination that tightens and tightens legs after a certain distance.
There are two major cases of spinal stenosis, an aging disease, in young people. ① This is a case where the spine is inherently short or ② Disc regression is in the early stages. Of these, ② is considered to be the majority causes. Experts cite ‘lack of exercise’ for the reason why disk regression progresses quickly compared to the past. At the same time, it is explained that it is due to problems such as sitting in the waist when you focus on using electronic devices or studying for a long time.
Preservation and surgical treatment according to pain
The spinal stenosis is determined by the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the computer tomography (CT) test results. In the early stages of the disease or light symptoms, conservative treatments such as medication, physical therapy, and exercise and water treatment are performed. If your symptoms do not improve or your legs are severe, you should consider surgical treatment.
Yong -hoon, director of Suwon Nari Hospital, said, “Spine stenosis is especially easy to relieve symptoms when you walk for a while, and it is easy to consider it.” However, if left unattended, the frequency and intensity of pain will become more severe, and in the end, chronic pain or severe cases can occur.
The method of treating spinal canal stenosis is ‘microscopic microscopic spinal surgery’ and ‘spinal endoscopy‘. Micose microscopic spinal surgery is performed precisely using special microscopes. After a minimum incision of 1.5 ~ 3cm, the lesion is checked with a microscope to remove the disk pieces or reduce the nerve. The skin incision is small, so there is almost no scars, and the lesion can selectively remove the lesion area while minimizing nerves and blood vessels, so the operation time is short.
Spine endoscopy is a method of expanding the lesion area with an endoscope and treating with micro tools and lasers. Partial anesthesia has a short procedure time and has little damage to normal tissue. Surgery can be performed with local anesthesia alone, and patients with chronic diseases such as high blood pressure or diabetes can be received. Discharge is possible on the day or after hospitalization.
[최창원 기자 choi.changwon@mk.co.kr]
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