Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spaces within the spine that can put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, most commonly in the lower back and neck. It usually develops slowly with age.
Symptoms
- Leg pain, cramping, or heaviness when standing or walking that eases when you sit or lean forward
- Numbness or tingling in the legs or buttocks
- Balance difficulty (with neck stenosis)
- Low-back pain
Causes
The most common cause is age-related wear: thickened ligaments, bone spurs from arthritis, and bulging discs all narrow the canal. Some people are born with a narrower canal.
How it's diagnosed
Your physician reviews your symptoms and walking tolerance, then may use MRI or CT imaging to see where and how much the canal is narrowed.
How we treat it
Care focuses on staying active and managing pain so you can move. Physical therapy, medication, and epidural steroid injections can reduce nerve inflammation and improve walking distance; some patients benefit from neurostimulation.
When to see a physician
See a physician if leg symptoms limit your walking, and seek urgent care for sudden weakness or loss of bladder or bowel control.
Common questions
Does walking make spinal stenosis worse?
Standing and walking often bring on symptoms, while sitting or leaning forward relieves them. Treatment aims to extend how far you can comfortably walk.
Is spinal stenosis a form of arthritis?
It is often caused by spinal arthritis, the bone spurs and thickened tissue from arthritis are common contributors to the narrowing.
This page is general information, not medical advice, and does not create a physician-patient relationship. Your physician will recommend what's right for you.
Living with spinal stenosis?
Talk with our physician-led pain team about a plan built around your diagnosis.
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