One of the most common symptoms of spinal stenosis is pain in the neck or lower back. If you have been diagnosed with spinal stenosis or you suspect you have spinal stenosis, you are probably intimately familiar with this type of pain.
Spinal stenosis pain can manifest itself in a number of ways, depending on the location of the stenosis (or “narrowing”) in the spinal canal and the severity of the condition. Since every individual is different, pain tolerances and sensations also are different.
However, medical experts have a relatively good grasp on the characteristics of pain associated with spinal stenosis:
- Pain can be a dull ache or a sharp, stabbing sensation in one location of the back or neck, or it can be a tingling or burning sensation that radiates from one spot along the spinal column to other areas of the body, such as the shoulders, hips, buttocks, arms, or legs.
- Pain can be aggravated by motion, such as bending, twisting, standing, walking, or swinging a golf club, or by a repetitious physical activity, such as heavy lifting.
- Spinal stenosis pain can be chronic (primarily in moderate to severe cases), and can severely limit work and leisure-related activities.
- In cases of mild spinal stenosis, pain may persist, but it may come and go over the course of a few days or a week. It isn’t likely to stop you from most activities, but it may slow you down.
In addition to pain, spinal stenosis can cause stiffness in the lower back (lumbar region) or in the neck (cervical region). Spinal stenosis also causes, in some patients, numbness and tingling in the extremities. Other spinal stenosis symptoms may include cramping in the legs or arms, difficulty balancing and walking, and possibly headaches and muscle aches.
If your pain or other symptoms are situated in the lower back, you are likely suffering from lumbar spinal stenosis, which affects the lumbar vertebrae. Lumbar spinal stenosis is the most common form of spinal stenosis. On the other hand, if your pain or other symptoms are in the neck area, you may be suffering from cervical spinal stenosis.
Symptoms of spinal stenosis are caused by a narrowing of the spinal canal. When the spinal canal becomes unusually narrow along any portion, the spinal cord or nerve roots can become pinched or squeezed. Since nerves control movement and sensation in our bodies, when they are pressed like this, their signals can be heightened or interrupted, resulting painful symptoms and weakness.
If you have been diagnosed with moderate or severe spinal stenosis and nothing seems to help, contact Laser Spine Institute to learn more about our revolutionary treatments for this condition. Our gentle, minimally invasive procedures can release pinched nerves in about an hour and have you back to a full life in as little as two weeks. We even can provide you with a free MRI or CT scan review to determine if you are a candidate for our procedures.
