Spinal Stenosis

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Related Issues
• Specifics

See, Play and Learn

• Images

Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Reference Desk
• Find an Expert

For You

• Patient Handouts

Summary

Your spine, or backbone, protects your spinal cord and allows you to stand and bend. Spinal stenosis causes narrowing in your spine. The narrowing puts pressure on your nerves and spinal cord and can cause pain.

Spinal stenosis occurs mostly in people older than 50. Younger people with a spine injury or a narrow spinal canal are also at risk. Diseases such as arthritis and scoliosis can cause spinal stenosis, too. Symptoms might appear gradually or not at all. They include:

• Pain in your neck or back
• Numbness, weakness, cramping, or pain in your arms or legs
• Pain going down the leg
• Foot problems

Doctors diagnose spinal stenosis with a physical exam and imaging tests. Treatments include medications, physical therapy, braces, and surgery.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Start Here

• Spinal Stenosis (American College of Rheumatology) Also in Spanish
• Spinal Stenosis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Spinal Stenosis (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Myelography (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Spine CT (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Spine MRI (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Back Surgery: When Is It a Good Idea? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Cervical Laminoplasty (North American Spine Society)
• Epidural Injections (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Laminectomy (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Related Issues

• Cauda Equina Syndrome (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)

Specifics

• Cervical Stenosis, Myelopathy and Radiculopathy (North American Spine Society)
• Lumbar Spinal Canal Stenosis (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish

Images

• Lumbar spinal surgery - series (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Spinal fusion - series (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Spinal surgery - cervical - series (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Spinal Stenosis (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Non-surgical treatment for tandem spinal stenosis: a systematic review protocol.
• Article: Efficacy of endoscopic interlaminar decompression in lumbar spinal stenosis: a retrospective...
• Article: Transforaminal full-endoscopic decompression under local anesthesia for foraminal stenosis due to...
• Spinal Stenosis -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• Anatomy of the Spine (North American Spine Society)
• Definitions A-Z (North American Spine Society)

Find an Expert

• Arthritis Foundation: Local Office Directory (Arthritis Foundation)
• Find a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician (American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation)
• Find a Physical Therapist Near You (American Physical Therapy Association)
• Find a Rheumatologist (American College of Rheumatology)
• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Foraminotomy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Laminectomy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Questions to ask your surgeon about spinal surgery (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Spinal fusion (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Spinal stenosis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Spine surgery - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish