Spinal stenosis is an abnormal narrowing of the spinal canal. This narrowing causes a restriction to the spinal canal, which in turn, results in a neurological deficit.
Symptoms may include:
The most common areas affected are the neck and the lower back with stenosis of the mid-back being much less common than of the neck and lower back. Causes of spinal stenosis include aging, arthritis, heredity, instability of the spine, trauma and tumors of the spine. When we age ligaments can thicken, bone spurs can develop, intervertebral discs may bulge or herniate, facet joints may break down, compression fractures may occur, all of which can contribute to the space in the spine narrowing.