Spinal stenosis describes a clinical syndrome of buttock or leg pain. These symptoms may occur with or without back pain. It is a condition in which the nerves in the spinal canal are closed in, or compressed. The spinal canal is the hollow tube formed by the bones of the spinal column. Anything that causes this bony tube to shrink can squeeze the nerves inside. As a result of many years of wear and tear on the parts of the spine, the tissues nearest the spinal canal sometimes press against the nerves. This helps explain why lumbar spinal stenosis (stenosis of the low back) is a common cause of back problems in adults over 55 years old.
Causes
- Congenital stenosis (being born with a small spinal canal)
- Spinal degeneration
- Spinal instability
- Disc herniation
- Direct injury
- Fracture
- Stress fracture
- Tumors
- Thickened ligament
- Over growth of bone
Symptoms
- Pain in the back.
- Burning pain going into the buttocks and down into the legs (sciatica)
- Numbness, tingling, cramping, or weakness in the legs.
- Loss of sensation in the feet.
- A weakness in a foot that causes the foot to slap down when walking ("foot drop")
Treatment
Nonsurgical Treatment
- Rest
- Postural correction
- Avoid weight wearing
- Avoid foreword bending
- Medication
- Back support or corsets , belts
- Physiotherapy