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URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/spinalstenosis.html

Spinal Stenosis

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

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Diagnosis and Tests

  • Myelography From the National Institutes of Health (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

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Specifics

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Reference Desk

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The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.