What is Lumbar Spinal Stenosis?

Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal in the spine. It means that there is less room for the spinal cord and spinal nerves, and this narrowing can place pressure on the cord and/or nerves, creating pain. Doctors call this nerve pressure compression. While some patients are born with this narrowing, most cases of spinal stenosis occur in patients over 50 because over time parts of the spine age. "Wear and tear"—just years of use—takes its toll on the spine, potentially causing thoracic and/or lumbar spinal stenosis.

Many patients with spinal stenosis remain symptom-free until other conditions further compress the spinal canal. Other conditions that can cause compression include:

• Calcification (ligaments of the spine thicken and harden)
• Osteophytes, also known as bone spurs (bony overgrowths on bones and joints)
• Herniated discs
• The forward slip of one vertebra over the one beneath it (called spondylolisthesis)
• Trauma (e.g., from a car accident)