Spinal stenosis syndrome represents a group of diverse symptoms caused by chronic degenerative spinal disease. It is mostly manifested as back pain or leg pain caused by standing or a brief walk. The pain diminishes after resting.

Stenosis of the spinal canal is a chronic degenerative spinal disorder which results with the narrowing of the vertebral or spinal canal through which spinal cord and nerve roots run.

Like all degenerative spinal diseases, spinal stenosis begins with disc disorder. Due to degenerative disc disease, biomechanics of the spine change and relative instability develops. To protect itself from an unstable position, the spine reacts with strengthening of other structures that carry the weight of the body – bones, joints and ligaments.

This process results in cohesion of degeneratively changed facet joints and mostly yellow and interspinal ligaments with the spinal canal and the narrowing of the canal.

The changed discs often slip out which, along with osteofits that grow of the vertebra body, additionally narrows the spinal canal.
There is little known about the cause of this disorder. It is not common to any race or gender but can be congenital. An inherent stenosis of the spinal canal is more recurrent and first symptoms usually manifest when patients reach 60 years of age. 

It generally occurs in lumbar and cervical spine but can also appear in thoracic spine. The symptoms of stenosis of the spinal canal develop due to degeneratively changed disc and pressure to nerve roots. The most frequent symptoms are pain in the legs (one or both), leg numbness, limping, loss of sensation in the legs, loss of bladder and bowel control, leg weakness and back pain.

After neurological exam and CT and MRI scans it is necessary to perform electrophysiological tests to properly asses the state of the patient and to be able to give an adequate recommendation for further treatment.

The treatment of spinal stenosis begins with medication therapy and physical therapy (with the aim to a raise the level of physical fitness) and epidural infiltration.

 The goal of the operative treatment is to widen the narrowed canal and decompress the adjoining neural structures with the purpose of stopping nerve tissue deterioration and therefore improve neurological status and relieve pain.

After unsuccessful conservative treatment you should consult your neurosurgeon and consider all the available options of surgical treatment to select the method best suited for you.