Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis is a condition resulting from exertion of pressure on nerve roots as they leave the spinal column or on the spinal cord itself. As a result nerve roots or the spinal cord are damaged and their functions are hindered. Spinal stenosis can occur as a result of narrowing of the spinal canal and intervertebral space. Apart from degeneration due to ageing, there are several conditions that can cause spinal stenosis including physical trauma to the spine, achondroplasia, Paget’s disease and spinal tumors.
Spinal stenosis can manifest itself in several ways. This is because the entire nervous system may be affected by the pressure exerted on the nerve roots or spinal cord. However, there are some symptoms that are common to most cases of spinal stenosis. Patients may experience pain in the legs while walking. Leg pains may also be attributed to other conditions. However, leg pain caused by spinal stenosis takes some few minutes to ease away when the patient sits down or rests while that from other conditions will usually fade away immediately.
Patients may also experience lower back pain. Like leg pain, this is most severe when walking, bending or lifting heavy objects. This pain also takes some time to ease when the patient is resting. Lower back pain and leg pain are associated with lumbar spinal stenosis. As the disease progresses, patients may develop numbness in the lower part of the body. Weakness in these parts of the body rarely occurs but does in symptoms of highly progressed spinal stenosis.
Patients suffering from cervical stenosis experience
pain in the neck and back, they may experience
pains shooting down the arms to the wrists.
Numbness and weakness may occur in the neck and arms if the condition continues to progress. The pain caused by spinal stenosis is usually relieved when the patient flexes or leans forward. This causes the patient’s spinal canal to open up therefore relieving pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots. However, the pain returns when the patient is in an upright position or is lifting a heavy object. A full physical examination by a medical practitioner is required to correctly diagnose the condition.
Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis can manifest itself in several ways.
Article published January 21st, 2011
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