Low back pain has many possible causes. Lumbar spinal canal stenosis (narrowing) is one of them.
There are many possible causes of low back and lower extremity pain. Lumbar canal stenosis, or spinal stenosis, is one such cause. A typical presentation is increasing low back / leg pain with activity such as walking or riding a bike. The complaint increases until the person can either sit and rest or the person leans forward which relieves some of the discomfort. The pain or discomfort associated with lumbar canal stenosis will tend to improve over the next 10-30 minutes. If it resolves quickly with rest, usually within 2-5 minutes, this issue may be vascular in origin. A person with lumbar canal stenosis may note a history of general low back complaints which occur over several years or even in some situations, it may be displayed by a more rapid onset in just a matter of days. Both presentations should be evaluated by your healthcare professional.
Lumbar canal stenosis is typically a mixture of degenerative changes.
- Disc herniation
- Facet hypertrophy
- Ligament hypertrophy
- Congenitally narrow pedicles
(Not a complete list)
Provided there are no contraindications such as
- Referral of pain into both legs
- Loss of bowel of bladder control
- Numbness/tingling on the inner thighs (saddle paraesthesia)
a trial of conservative care may be beneficial.
If you have been diagnosed with lumbar canal stenosis would like to see if conservative care is an option for you give us a call and schedule an appointment. If we are unable to help relieve your pain, we will do our best to find someone who can.
Here are just a few of the many sources of information available on the web:
- American Chiropractic Association – Lumbar Spine Stenosis
- WEBMD – Lumbar Spine Stenosis – Treatment Overview
- PUBMED – Lumbar Spine Stenosis
Content and additional links are provided for information only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional healthcare advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a healthcare condition. Never disregard professional healthcare advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on a web site.