title: Lumbar canal stenosis: start with nonsurgical therapy.
abstract: Although surgery is widely viewed as the definitive therapy for lumbar spinal stenosis, no randomized trials have compared surgical vs medical treatment. One study found that 60% of surgically treated patients improved, compared with 30% of those treated nonsurgically. We believe an initial nonsurgical approach is advisable for most patients.
authors.affiliation: Spine Center, Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Disease, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio 44195, USA. mazaned@ccf.org
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Mazanec
authors.forename: Vinod K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Podichetty
authors.forename: Augusto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hsia
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000367:Age Factors; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007268:Injections, Epidural; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000700:Analgesics; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D002116:Calcitonin