Spinal Stenosis is a medical term which refers to a condition when the spinal canal narrows down and compresses the nerves and the spinal chord. This condition occurs with growing age and it is quite natural. It occurs when the spinal degeneration take place with aging. It may also occur on account of osteoporosis, tumor or spinal disc herniation. This may cause either lumbar spine stenosis or cervical spine stenosis. Stenosis in the lumbar region of the spine results in lower back pain or sensations in the leg.
Spinal Stenosis may be caused on account of a number of reasons. The major reasons are given below.
Congenital Spinal Stenosis
The word congenital means since birth. If the patient is suffering from the disease since birth, then the condition is called as Congenital Spinal Stenosis
Scoliosis or other progressive inherited conditions
In Scoliosis, the spinal opening are narrow since birth. This is a progressive condition and worsens with advancing age.
Injury
The opening of the spinal column can be constricted or narrowed on account of injury.
Medical conditions such as Paget’s disease
In such conditions, abnormal metabolism results may deform the vertebrae and constrict the spinal column at places.
Normal Aging Process
The spinal column may become narrow or compressed simply on account of old age or arthritis.
Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis
The symptoms of spinal stenosis are nerve compression, weakness of the arms and shoulders and problem in grasping things. Cervical stenosis affects the nerves of the neck and the arms. Hence the symptoms here are the pain and other sensory disorder in the shoulders, neck and arms. Lumbar spinal stenosis affects the nerves in the lower back part. Numbness, pain or weakness in the legs are also common symptoms of Cervical stenosis.
Treatment for spinal stenosis
Anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications are used to alleviate the symptoms of the spinal stenosis. There are surgical treatments for spinal stenosis also. Surgery may be performed through an endoscope.
