Spinal Stenosis is a medical condition that involves narrowing of the spinal canal resulting in compression of the spinal cord as well as its surrounding nerves. When you advance in age your spinal disc tends to dry out and shrink. With this any minor injury can cause inflammation in the disc and can put pressure to the nerves. Other factors that cause this condition are spinal arthritis, herniated disc, osteoporosis or even a tumor in the spine.
Spinal stenosis can affect any part of the spine but the most common part of the spine that is affected is the lumbar and cervical spine or even both. It really depends on which part of the spine is involved, Spinal stenosis can bring numbness or pain on that certain part of the body. There are also times that pain is not always present especially if it is cervical spinal stenosis. That is why it is quite difficult to identify the problem at its early stage. For more serious cases of spinal stenosis, doctors often recommend surgery as form of treatment.
According to Mayo Clinic, there has been evidence that people do suffer from spinal stenosis yet they do not experience any spinal stenosis symptoms at all. Later on when signs and symptoms do occur then it begins slowly and often worsen over time. Symptoms of this condition often vary on the location of the stenosis.
Cervical Spinal Stenosis Symptoms
Pain in the neck or shoulder. When the nerves in your neck are compressed then pain will more likely result from it. But then again spinal stenosis can cause no pain at all thus neck pain can be cause by other problems that is not spinal stenosis. That is why it is important that proper diagnosis is done.
Feeling of weakness and numbness. Spinal stenosis in your neck can cause weakness, numbness and even tingling of the hand, arm, foot and leg. You may be surprise at how often you drop things or you fall in your feet.
No control in your bowel or bladder. Severe cases of cervical stenosis results to losing control in your bowel and bladder.
Lumbar or Lower Back Spinal Stenosis Symptoms
Spinal Stenosis in your lower back can cause cramping or pain in your legs when you walk or stand up for a long period of time. This discomfort often lessens out when you sit down or bend forward. Pain may radiate down the legs with continued walking and lessens when you rest. Pain gets worst too when standing and bending backwards that is because bending backward reduces the space in the spinal canal.
Other symptoms aside from pain include loss of sensation in the legs, numbness and weakness. Lumbar spinal stenosis if left untreated can result to the loss of the functions of the legs and increase weakness. It can even result in loss of sexual function as well as bladder and bowel control.
Thus, you should get a doctor’s appointment if you feel weak or numb in your arms, back or legs.