What are the symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis?
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Healthwise answered:Many people, especially those older than age 50, have some narrowing of the spinal canal but don't have symptoms.
Symptoms occur when the nerve roots get squeezed.
Leg pain:The most common symptom is leg pain that happens when you walk or stand and feels better when you sit. You feel pain in your legs, because the nerve roots that pass through the lower spine extend to the legs.
People often have leg pain when the spine is extended—when they are standing straight or leaning backward, for example.
And they often feel better when the spine is flexed—when they are sitting, walking uphill, riding a bicycle or leaning over a grocery cart, for example.
People with severe stenosis may have a habit of leaning forward in a stooped position to relieve pain.
Other symptomsOther symptoms may include:
- Numbness, weakness, and cramping in the legs, feet or buttocks.
- Stiffness in the legs and thighs.
- Low back pain.
- In severe cases, loss of bladder and bowel control.
Several other conditions have symptoms similar to spinal stenosis.
Many people, especially those older than age 50, have some narrowing of the spinal canal but don't have symptoms. Symptoms occur when the nerve roots get squeezed. Leg pain: The most common symptom is leg pain that happens when you walk or stand... More -
Dr. Sergio Gonzalez-Arias of Baptist Health South Florida answered:If you’re familiar with the word "stenosis" – derived from the ancient Greek term for “narrowing” - then chances are you or someone you know has health issues related to back pain. In the case of the spinal cord, stenosis refers to the narrowing of the small openings on the sides of the vertebrae called foramina. Normally, these spaces allow for the passage of the spinal nerves to other parts of the body.
In lumbar stenosis, one or more of these openings can become so narrowed that it causes compression of nerves. The result can be low back pain, buttock pain and leg pain. Numbness in the legs can also occur that worsens when walking. The condition is typically caused by degenerative spine.
The lumbar spine is composed of the five vertebral bodies in the lower back.
Here are some of the symptoms of lumbar stenosis:- Numbness, weakness, cramping, or pain in the legs, feet, or buttocks
- "pins and needles” sensation in the thigh or leg when standing or walking
- Stiffness in legs and thighs
- Loss of bladder and bowel control in severe cases
- Low back pain
- The distance a person can walk before having to sit often shortens over time.
- Leaning forward often allows a person to walk further for a longer time.
If you’re familiar with the word "stenosis" – derived from the ancient Greek term for “narrowing” - then chances are you or someone you know has health issues related to back pain. In the case of the spinal cord, stenosis... More
