Arthritis and other similar diseases can cause a narrowing of the spinal foramen. The images below show a healthy spine and a spine with a narrow foramen.
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Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Medical Author: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Medical Editor: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Lumbar spinal stenosis facts
What is the lumbar spine, and what is lumbar spinal stenosis?
What causes lumbar spinal stenosis?
What are risk factors for lumbar spinal stenosis?
What are lumbar spinal stenosis symptoms?
How do health care professionals diagnose lumbar spinal stenosis?
What is the treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis?
Is it possible to prevent lumbar spinal stenosis?
What is the prognosis for lumbar spinal stenosis?
Lumbar spinal stenosis facts
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a lower back condition whereby either the spinal canal (central stenosis) or one or more of the vertebral foramina (foraminal stenosis) becomes narrowed.
Lumbar spinal stenosis is typically caused by degenerative arthritis.
Patients can develop low back pain as well as pain, weakness, and numbness or decreased sensation in the legs.
Surgery is recommended when other nonsurgical treatments have failed and for patients with increasing weakness of the legs or loss of bowel or bladder function.
Surgery includes a lumbar decompression with or without a lumbar fusion.
Surgery is most reliable for the relief of leg symptoms and less reliable for the relief of back pain.
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