Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis is narrowing of the spinal canal and pressuring the nerves that pass through the spine. As the vertebral joint and the ligaments between the bones thicken with age, the spaces within the spine narrow down and compress the nerves.
Cross-section
Longitudinal section
Major symptoms of spinal stenosis
• Severe pain in legs when walking for a long time
• Burning pain in buttocks and/or legs
• Numbness in buttocks and/or legs
• Difficulty in walking downhill than uphill
• Less painful when leaning forward
• Lying down on a soft surface feels more comfortable than a hard surface
• Feet are cold
• Feels uncomfortable after urinating
Diagnosis of spinal stenosis
MRI scans the human body and generates the scanned images, allowing the doctors to examine whether a spinal canal is narrowed or not.
Treatments of spinal stenosis
Nonsurgical treatment: Epidural Block
Surgical treatment: Microscopic decompression
