SPINAL CANAL STENOSIS
Symptoms
Causes
Symptoms
Spinal Canal Stenosis Symptoms
Pain is a common symptom of spinal stenosis and the location of the pain will depend on whether the stenosis is present in the upper or lower portions of the spine. 95% of patients with spinal canal stenosis experience sciatica while 70% complain of sensory changes in their lower limbs. Some of the other symptoms of spinal stenosis include:
- Pain that radiates down the leg (sciatica)
- Cramping or general pain in either the arms or legs
- Foot drop – in which painful leg weakness causes the affected foot to “slap” on the ground
- Numbness and weakness in the affected limbs
- Pain that is more severe when upright and reduces while sitting
Causes
Spinal Canal Stenosis Causes
The main cause of spinal stenosis is aging as the ligaments that support the spine thicken and calcify. Additionally, bones may get bigger or bulge out (bone spurs) which greatly increases the risk of spinal stenosis. Some of the other causes of spinal stenosis include:
- Conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis that affect the bones
- A small spinal canal
- Scoliosis (curvature of the spine to one side)
- Spondylolisthesis (when one vertebra slips forward on another)
- Injuries that dislocate the spine
