Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of one or more spaces within your spinal canal. Your spinal canal is the tunnel that runs through each of the vertebrae in your spine. It contains your spinal cord. Less space within your spinal canal cramps your spinal cord and the nerves that branch off it (nerve roots).

A tightened space can cause your spinal cord or nerves to become irritated, compressed or pinched. This can lead to back pain and other nerve issues, like sciatica. Several conditions and injuries can lead to a narrowed spinal canal.

Spinal stenosis can affect anyone, but it’s most common in people over the age of 50.

The condition most commonly affects two areas of your spine:

• Lower back (lumbar spinal stenosis): Your lumbar spine consists of five bones (vertebrae) in your lower back. Your lumbar vertebrae, known as L1 to L5, are the largest of your entire spine.
• Neck (cervical spinal stenosis): Your cervical spine consists of seven vertebrae in your neck. These vertebrae are labeled C1 to C7.

Your middle back (thoracic spine) can also have spinal stenosis, but this is rare.

How common is spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis is fairly common. Degenerative spinal changes affect up to 95% of people by the age of 50. Spinal stenosis is one of those changes. For people over 65 undergoing spine surgery, lumbar spinal stenosis is the most common diagnosis.