Lumbar Spinal Canal Stenosis: A Common Cause of Back and Leg Pain

The lumbar spinal canal is the space in the lower spine that carries nerves to your legs. It is very narrow. It gets even more narrow if the bone and tissue around it grow over the course of many years. This narrowing is called "stenosis." As the lumbar spinal canal narrows, the nerves that go through it are squeezed. This squeezing may cause back pain, and leg pain and weakness.

Arthritis, falls, accidents, and wear and tear on the spine's bones and joints can also cause lumbar spinal canal stenosis.

People who have stenosis may have back or leg pain or numbness. Your legs might also feel cramped, tired or weak. These symptoms usually start when you are standing or walking. Often, the symptoms get better if you sit, crouch or lie in the fetal position (on your side with your knees tucked up to your chest). It's thought that these positions "open" the lumbar canal and take the pressure off the nerves that go to the legs.

In severe cases, stenosis can cause partial or complete bowel or bladder incontinence.

Although your doctor can probably tell if you have stenosis by asking you about your symptoms, sometimes special tests and x-rays of the spine are needed to make the diagnosis.

If you have lumbar spinal canal stenosis, your treatment will depend on how bad your symptoms are. If your pain is mild and you haven't had it long, you can try an exercise program or a physical therapy program. This can strengthen your back muscles and improve your posture. Your doctor may also prescribe medicine to help reduce inflammation (soreness and swelling) in your spine.

If you have more severe symptoms, you may need to see a spine surgeon. The surgeon may recommend surgery to take the pressure off the nerves in your lower spine. This surgery works well for many people.

Lumbar spinal canal stenosis is not the same as a ruptured disk. A ruptured or "herniated" disk usually pinches 1 or 2 nerves at a time. The pain caused by a ruptured disk in the lumbar spine is usually easy to diagnose. This pain has a special name: "sciatica." Sciatica usually causes back pain that shoots down one leg. This pain can happen any time, not just when you stand up or start walking like it does with stenosis.