Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis
What causes Spinal Stenosis?
Some people are born with this narrowing or have a genetic tendency to develop
spinal stenosis. For most people though the condition is found in patients over
the age of 50. Usually spinal stenosis develops gradually as a result of aging
and everyday wear the tear.
As the body ages, microscopic changes occur at the cellular level. The ligaments in the spine may thicken and harden, joints enlarge, and bone spurs (called osteophytes) form. A bulging or herniated disc is common. Most rare is a spinal tumor or spondylolisthesis; this condition develops when one vertebra slips forward onto another.
Any of these conditions can cause spinal stenosis by reducing the size of the space where the spinal cord and/or nerve roots are located. The result is nerve compression and a variety of symptoms.
What symptoms are associated with Spinal Stenosis?
First, the actual narrowing of the spinal canal or neuroforamen does not cause
symptoms. Symptoms develop when the spinal cord or nerve roots are compressed;
squeezed or trapped. Compression causes inflammation and inflammation can cause
pain, weakness, and numbness. Symptoms vary depending on the location of the
spinal stenosis. For example, the symptoms of cervical spinal
stenosis primarily affect the upper body and lumbar spinal stenosis the lower
body.
Cervical Spinal Stenosis
• Pain, burning or tingling sensations, feelings of pins and needles, weakness or numbness in the shoulders, arms, hands.• Clumsy hand movement.
• Balance disturbance.
• Gait (the way a person walks) may be affected.
Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
• Pain, sciatica, tingling sensations, feelings of pins and needles, weakness or numbness in the buttocks, legs, calves.• Symptoms may increase when walking and decrease when sitting, bending forward, or lying down.
• Rare: Bladder or bowel problems, paraplegia.