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    Mayo Clinic Radio: Spinal stenosis

Medical illustration of spinal stenosisIf you’ve ever groaned, “Oh, my aching back,” you’re not alone. As people age, it’s estimated that 8 of 10 adults experience back pain from life's normal wear and tear on the spine. One common cause of back pain is the narrowing of the spinal canal, called "spinal stenosis." Spinal stenosis is categorized by where it occurs in the spine. Cervical stenosis is the narrowing of the spine in your neck. Lumbar stenosis is when narrowing of the spine occurs in the lower back, which is the most common type of spinal stenosis. Symptoms usually begin as a tingling in your hand, arm, foot or leg, and progress to loss of sensation and function. Fortunately, there are multiple options for treating spinal stenosis, including surgery.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Bradford Currier, a Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeon, will discuss treatment options for spinal stenosis. Also on the program, Dr. Craig Sawchuk, co-chair of Mayo Clinic’s Division of Integrated Behavioral Health, will explain the mental health benefits of the cleaning fad that's swept the country.  And Dr. J Taylor Hays, medical director for the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center, and Dr. Carrie Thompson, a Mayo Clinic hematologist, will explain a Mayo Clinic program that’s helping cancer patients quit tobacco.

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Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

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