What is lumbar
spinal canal stenosis?
Lumbar spinal canal stenosis is a narrowing in the
space in the lower spine that carries nerves to your
legs. This space is very small. It gets even smaller
if the bone and tissue around it grow. It takes many
years for this bone and tissue to grow.
Arthritis, falls, accidents and wear and tear on the
bones and joints in the spine also play a part in stenosis.
As the lumbar spinal canal shrinks, the nerves that
go through it are squeezed. This squeezing may cause
back pain, leg pain and leg weakness. Many adults have
this kind of stenosis.
How does my doctor know I have stenosis in my spine?
Your doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms.
People with stenosis usually have back pain most of
the time. They also may have leg pain, numbness or weakness.
The leg pain and numbness usually start when you stand
up and begin to walk or exercise. The leg pain has been
described as a burning or prickly feeling that may start
in the buttocks and spread down to the feet when you
start walking.
Your legs might also feel cramped, tired or weak. These
are symptoms of a condition called neural claudication
of the legs. If you have lumbar canal stenosis, the
neural leg claudication starts when you stand up, gets
worse when you walk and gets better when you stop walking.
Often, the leg pain gets better if you crouch or lie
in a fetal position (on your sides with your knees tucked
up to your chest). It's thought that these positions
"open" the lumbar canal and take the pressure
off the nerves that go to the legs. |
