What is Spinal Stenosis?

Spinal stenosis is a condition in which the areas inside the spinal column become narrow and begin exerting pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. This may occur either in the neck, known as cervical stenosis, or lower back, known as lumbar stenosis. The condition causes pain, numbness, and other symptoms that affect movement and comfort.

Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis

The location and type of symptoms due to spinal stenosis vary depending on the level and degree of compression. Some general symptoms include:

Pain: Pain is often felt in the back, neck, or legs. Pain may be increased by such activities as walking or standing for a longer period.
Numbness and tingling: You may experience numbness or tingling in your arms, hands, legs, or feet.
Weakness: Many people experience weakness in their arms or legs, which impairs walking or grasping items.
Balance problems: loss of balance or coordination, mostly while walking.

Causes of Spinal Stenosis

This could be caused by several factors for spinal stenosis, which include:

Ageing: With increasing age, there are certain spinal column changes. The discs might become partly dried out and collapse. As a result of these changes, the spinal canal could be narrowed.
Herniated disks: This is a condition whereby the gel-like centre of a disk protrudes‎ through a crack in the outer layer. It may compress or irritate nearby spinal nerves or the spinal cord itself.
Spinal Injuries: Any type of trauma or injury to the spine may result in swelling, fractures, or dislocation, which causes stenosis.
Genetics: Some people have an inherited narrow spinal canal that predisposes them to having stenosis.

Treatment of Spinal Stenosis

Treatment for spinal stenosis is focused on mitigating the symptoms and improving the quality of life. These may include:

Medications: Analgesics and anti-inflammatory medicines help in multiple ways by reducing both pain and inflammation.
Exercises and stretches are physical therapy that may improve flexibility, strength, and posture, and thus alleviate symptoms.
Lifestyle Changes: Keeping a healthy weight and staying active can reduce pressure on the spine.
Surgery: In severe cases, one may need surgery to relieve pressure from the spinal cord or nerves.

If you are having symptoms of stenosis of the spine, you should see a doctor to get an accurate diagnosis and the proper treatment plan.

Dr. Navin Tiwari
Consulting Neurologist