Spinal stenosis is a condition in which the space inside your backbone gets reduced too much. This situation creates pressure on the spinal cord and you may experience pain and discomfort in day-to-day activities. This condition generally affects the lower back and your neck and while most people experience some or the other symptoms, there are many who may not get any symptoms. However, it must be noted that if the symptoms are not treated on time, the situation may get worse. Arthritis is one of the most common causes of spinal stenosis which leads to wear and tear of the spine.
According to AABP Integrative Pain Care, the symptoms of the condition are:
- Pain: You may experience chronic back pain which may move to other areas of the body such as the legs and the arms. This generally happens due to the excess pressure exerted on the spine.
- Tingling and numbness: Many patients have reported a feeling of numbness, and weakness in their arms, legs, and hands in such cases. This generally happens due to nerve compression as the space between the spinal cord gets reduced.
- Weakness in the muscle: People who are suffering from spinal stenosis may experience weakness in their muscles which may create difficulties while walking, sitting, lifting, standing, etc.
- Loss of balance: This is also one of the most common symptoms of spinal stenosis where the nerves that control the balance of the body get affected and the person may lose balance while walking or standing and may even fall.
- Bowel and bladder problems: In rare cases, a person suffering from spinal stenosis may suffer from bowel or bladder dysfunction where he may experience difficulties in urinating or while passing the stool.
- Reduced sexual function: If you have spinal stenosis, you may experience moderate to severe pain in your neck, back, legs, arms, etc. Because of this, you may not be able to perform sexual activities properly.
However, it is very crucial to note that certain people who are suffering from spinal stenosis may not experience any kind of pain or other symptoms. But there are many who will certainly have one or the other above-mentioned symptoms. Hence, if you or somebody that you know is suffering from spinal stenosis with symptoms such as back pain, weakness, neurological disorders, etc., you must seek medical attention. Getting the symptoms diagnosed and evaluated at the proper time is very essential so that it doesn’t get worse with time.
