Preparing for an appointment

If your primary care doctor thinks you have spinal stenosis, he or she may refer you to a doctor who specializes in disorders of the nervous system (neurologist). Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may also need to see a spinal surgeon (neurosurgeon, orthopedic surgeon).

What you can do

Before the appointment, you might want to prepare a list of answers to the following questions:

• When did you first notice this problem?
• Has it worsened with time?
• Have your parents or siblings ever had similar symptoms?
• Do you have other medical problems?
• What medications or supplements do you take regularly?
• What spine surgeries or injections have you had done?

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor may ask some of the following questions:

• Do you have pain? Where is it?
• Does any position ease the pain or worsen it?
• Do you have any weakness, numbness or tingling?
• Do you feel more clumsy lately?
• Have you had any difficulty controlling your bowel or bladder?
• What treatments have you tried already for these problems?