Spinal stenosis - Causes and Symptoms

Definition

Vertebral stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal, delimited by vertebral holes. Inside this channel, protected by vertebrae, there are spinal cord and nerve roots.

Vertebral stenosis is in some ways a physiological process: the size and shape of this canal, in fact, undergo changes with aging. The stenosis of the vertebral canal is however more accentuated in people who have a genetic predisposition, smoke, perform work that puts their back on excessive effort or is overweight.

There are also congenital or acquired column diseases that predispose to the problem. The most common causes of vertebral stenosis are osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disorders and spondylolisthesis (a vertebra slides forward with respect to the one below). Paget's disease of the bone, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis can also cause the vertebral canal to narrow.

The narrowing of the spinal canal can exert some pressure on the nerve roots and spinal cord, causing pain. In addition, patients with spinal stenosis may report paresthesia, hyposthenia and reduced reflexes along the course of the affected root. When the process involves the lower back, pain may appear that radiates from the back to the legs during walking or under load. Lumbar spinal stenosis is relieved when the torso is flexed forward. If it appears on the cervical level, however, the person may experience painful pangs similar to electric shocks, numbness, weakness, burning and tingling sensations in the arms.

Spinal stenosis can be treated with pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroid injections, rest and physiotherapy. In some cases, however, surgery is required.