Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal (the canal that houses the spinal marrow) that can put pressure on the spinal nerves.

Spinal nerves travel along the spinal canal to carry messages between the muscles and the brain.

Spinal stenosis most often occurs in the lower back, at the level of the lumbar spine, representing the most common form, but it can also appear in the neck area at the level of the cervical spine.

Some people with spinal stenosis are asymptomatic (they show no symptoms), while other people may experience pain, tingling, numbness and muscle weakness, symptoms that can worsen over time.

Spinal stenosis is caused by normal degenerative changes in the spine, which occur with age, being more common in men older than 50 years, but it can also occur in women and even in younger people, who are born with a narrowing of the spinal canal or who suffer a spinal cord injury (for example, an intervertebral disc previously slipped).

The main symptoms of spinal stenosis are:

➢ Numbness or tingling in the arms or legs

➢ The sensation of heavy, tired legs

➢ Difficulty when walking, which is limited to 500 meters or even less

➢ Pain felt in the neck, lower back, buttocks, thighs, calves and ankles

➢ Balance problems

Symptoms are usually quickly relieved by resting and/or bending the back forward

Sometimes muscle cramps may occur the affected person should check if there is a deficiency of calcium, magnesium or vitamin D.

In some situations spinal stenosis is congenital (there are people who are born with a smaller spinal canal). In most cases, however, spinal stenosis occurs when something that narrows the spinal canal happens, such as:

Wear of the spine caused by osteoarthritis, can lead to the formation of bone spurs, spurs that can grow in the spinal canal, narrowing it.

The intervertebral disc, which acts as a shock absorber between the vertebrae, tends to degenerate with age. Cracks on the outside of a disc can allow part of the pulpous nucleus of the intervertebral disc to come out and press on the spinal cord or nerves.

Ligaments, which help keep the bones of the spine together, can become stiff and thickened over time. These thickened ligaments can swell in the spinal canal, narrowing it.

Very rarely, certain abnormal formations can grow inside the spinal marrow, in the membranes that cover the spinal marrow or in the space between the spinal marrow and the vertebrae.

Car accidents or other traumas can cause dislocations or fractures of one or more vertebrae, fractures that can damage the contents of the spinal canal.

An excessive level of fluoride in the body can affect the spinal canal. This increased level of flour can result from chronic inhalation of industrial powders or fluoride-contaminated gases, prolonged ingestion of water containing large amounts of fluoride or accidental ingestion of insecticides containing fluoride.

The spine consists of a number of 33 -34 small bones, called vertebrae. Superiorly, the first 24 vertebrae (from the cervical, thoracic and lumbar level) are articulated and separated from each other by the intervertebral discs. Inferiorly, at the level of sacral areas there are 5 vertebrae welded to each other and at the level of the coccyx located at the base of the spine, there are 4-5 joined vertebrae. The vertebrae are connected to each other, thus creating the vertebral canal or spinal canal where the spinal cord is housed and protected.

Ligaments, spinal nerves, muscles and intervertebral discs are additional components of the spine.

Special exercise programs aimed at:

➢ improving balance

➢ increasing the strength and strength of the paravertebral muscles

➢ maintaining the stability and flexibility of the spine

Manual therapy and osteopathy will not heal spinal stenosis, but significantly helps in:

➢ Restoring the mobility of the spine

➢ Restoring normal curvature in the lumbar spine

➢ Improving posture and pressure in the lower back

➢ Improving nerve compression

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help reduce pain and inflammation, but are recommended for durations of time not exceeding 7-10 days.

When there are muscle cramps associated with spinal stenosis, myorelaxant drugs help relax the muscles.

Injections with corticosteroids (stronger anti-inflammatories) are indicated when the nerve roots become swollen and irritated. Corticosteroids injected into the space around the constriction of the nerve roots help reduce inflammation and alleviate the pressure around them.

Ice applied topically, in sessions of 5-10 minutes, 3-5 times a day, significantly helps reduce inflammation.

For an even stronger effect, opt for the alternative, local application of heat and ice.

It can be considered if the treatments listed above do not respond or if the symptoms are very intense.

The purpose of surgery is to relieve pressure on the spinal marrow or nerves and to restore and maintain the alignment and strength of the spine.Surgery involves removing or adjusting the structures that cause spinal canal narrowing or loss of spinal alignment, resulting in improvement of symptoms (leg pain is significantly improved and walking improves).

If the spinal nerves were very damaged before surgery, symptoms such as pain or numbness may persist after surgery.