Now the term Spinal Stenosis refers to the narrowing of the space between the spine and the spinal cord, which is called the spinal canal. It is in this space that the nerves that supply our legs and arms work from and when this area is narrowed the nerves become compressed and inflamed.

The symptoms of Spinal Stenosis are sometimes difficult to diagnose as these can be similar to other lower back pain complaints, especially that of Sciatica. The main difference being the majority of the pain with Spinal Stenosis will be felt in the top of the front your legs, whereas in Sciatica much of the pain is felt in the buttock. Both symptoms are accompanied by lower back pain.

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Spinal Stenosis is the name given to the narrowing of the spinal canal – a space between the spine and the spinal cord. There are several reasons why this narrowing can occur -:

One or more bulging or herniated discs protruding into the spinal canal Bands of tissue or ligaments that protect the spine can thicken as we age, reducing the space in the spinal canal. Bony spurs can project into the spinal canal, especially with arthritis sufferers. Bones and joints become enlarged, reducing the space in the spinal canal.

As the space in the spinal canal is reduced there is less space for the nerves – that control the muscle groups in your legs. These nerves can become inflamed and irritated. In fact Spinal Stenosis symptoms are very similar similar to that of Sciatica.

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Lumbar Spinal Stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal – the space that runs between the vertebra and the spinal cord.

The narrowing can be caused for several reasons, a degenerative disc condition may cause fragments of disc to fall into the spinal canal; people with osteoarthritis may find that small spurs of bony tissue are growing into the same area, even a herniated disc caused by a trauma can push into the spinal canal and reducing the space.

Now as this space is reduced it means that there is less room for the nerves that occupy this area as they exit the spine and into the legs. The nerves will then become inflamed which can cause pain anywhere along the path of the effected nerve. In fact Lumbar Spinal Stenosis is the most common reason for back surgery in people over age 50 in the United States.

However it’s not just people over the age of 50 who can be affected by lumbar Spinal Stenosis, a great majority of younger people can be affected due to an accident or a sporting injury. In fact a trauma that causes a herniated disc which pushes into the spinal canal will also give the symptoms of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis.

So what are the symptoms of lumbar Spinal Stenosis? The early symptoms will be a chronic lower back pain – as the nerves become inflamed and cause a the muscles in this area to spasm.

You will also feel a  heaviness, weakness, and pain in the top of the legs, and you will find it difficult to stand or walk for any distance. You will probably find that the symptoms are greatly eased by sitting. In a few extreme cases you may have bowel or bladder problems, as the nerves that service these areas are affected. Urgent medical advice should be sought in this instance.

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Advice on Spinal Stenosis: Much of the advice on Spinal Stenosis that we hear tells us that it is “a narrowing of the Spinal Canal, that usually develops with age”

Whilst this may be the case for many older sufferers there are also many younger people whom develop these symptoms due to some sort of sports injury or maybe an accident that has caused stress on the spine.

Let me explain- The diagnosis ‘Spinal Stenosis’ occurs when the space between the spine and the spinal cord is reduced. Why this is common in older people is that , as we age the general wear and tear on our spine, causes the discs – that act as shock absorbers – in our spine start to wear away, This part of the diagnosis is commonly know as Degenerative Disc Disease.

To compensate for this, our bodies natural healing process has a tendency to make the facet joint larger, which reduces the stress caused by the degenerative joint. Regrettably though, as the Read more