Spinal Stenosis
Educational information. Individual clinical review of this presentation by Dr. Ehsan is not yet documented. It does not replace personal medical evaluation.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Read the original source
MedlinePlus data edition September 26, 2026. Imported September 27, 2026. These dates do not indicate a new clinical review of the article.
Your spine, or backbone, protects your spinal cord and allows you to stand and bend. Spinal stenosis causes narrowing in your spine. The narrowing puts pressure on your nerves and spinal cord and can cause pain.
Spinal stenosis occurs mostly in people older than 50. Younger people with a spine injury or a narrow spinal canal are also at risk. Diseases such as arthritis and scoliosis can cause spinal stenosis, too. Symptoms might appear gradually or not at all. They include:
- Pain in your neck or back
- Numbness, weakness, cramping, or pain in your arms or legs
- Pain going down the leg
- Foot problems
Doctors diagnose spinal stenosis with a physical exam and imaging tests. Treatments include medications, physical therapy, braces, and surgery.
NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
Symptoms, tests and care options
Further reading selected by MedlinePlus. Links open the original organizations’ websites.
- Back Surgery: When Is It a Good Idea? · Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Cervical Laminoplasty · North American Spine Society
- CT Scan of the Spine · Radiological Society of North America
- Epidural Injections · Radiological Society of North America
- Myelography · National Library of Medicine
- Spine MRI · Radiological Society of North America
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