Spinal stenosis is one of the most popular degenerative back conditions, and although it can be treated, there are several causative conditions that are related to this specific medical condition. Due to the fact that spinal stenosis is a very broad topic, which most times can confuse patients; all spinal stenosis suffers are asked to thoroughly research the condition once they are diagnosed, so that they can increase their chances of experiencing a successful treatment.
Spinal stenosis can be defined as a medical condition where the anatomical spaces of the spine are narrowed, as a result of one or more contributory structural or causative issues. Spinal stenosis is considered to be a normal part of the aging process, and for most of the individuals who suffer from mild to moderate forms of this medical condition, they are unlikely to show any neurological symptoms or have any pain at all. Spinal stenosis can be located anywhere in the spine; however, a majority of the cases reveal that the lower lumbar levels and the mid to lower cervical levels are most commonly affected.
Three different types of spinal stenosis exist. The first is the central spinal stenosis or the central canal stenosis. This type of the medical condition is considered to be the most symptomatic, and also the most dangerous. Central canal stenosis can be described as the narrowing of the primary spine canal, which consists of the actual spinal cord, the spinal nerves and the thecal sac. The central canal is located along the spine and via the vertebral foramen, which is the large hole that each vertebral bone has. The symptoms of central canal stenosis generally have an effect on the cauda equina located in the lumbar levels, and on the spinal cord that is located in the thoracic and cervical levels. Effects of this type of spinal stenosis can cause complete disability, which makes central stenosis a possible deadly diagnostic verdict.
The second type of spinal stenosis is called neuroforaminal stenosis. At every vertebral level, spinal cords nerves will branch off and exit through the foramen or the neuroforamen. When the neuroforamen openings become narrowed, the diagnosis will be foraminal or neuroforaminal stenosis. If the foraminal becomes very closed off, this will result in the nerve becoming compressed, as it tries to leave the spinal cord; in medical terms this is called compressive neuropathy, while it is commonly referred to as pinched nerve.
The final type of spinal stenosis is known as lateral recess stenosis or lateral stenosis. This is the most uncommon of all the types of spinal stenosis, due to the fact that the lateral recess is large enough to allow most of the nerves to pass through it.