How to Define Spinal Stenosis

A diagram showing spinal stenosis caused by degeneration of spinal discs

Back pain can be excruciating and cause a person to miss out on daily activities. Sometimes it is caused by an injury and will pass with rest, medication and exercise or physical therapy, but other kind of back pain is indicative or a result of degenerative conditions and caused by an abnormalities in the spine. More serious causes of back pain require surgery to repair or can't be repaired at all. Spinal stenosis is a type of degenerative spinal disorder.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• X-ray
• MRI
• CAT scan

1. Remember that the word "spinal" refers to the 26 bones down your back called vertebrae, as well as the soft discs between them. The vertebrae protect the spinal cord, which is a long bundle of nerves that attaches to your brain.

2. Look at the Greek etymology of the word "stenosis." In Greek, "stenos" means "narrow" or "contracted." Therefore, "spinal stenosis" refers to any narrowing in the parts of the spine.

3. Have an x-ray, MRI or CAT scan to determine if spinal stenosis is the cause of your back pain. Whether it's congenital or caused by injury, aging, arthritis, tumors or other degeneration as a result of poor posture or diet, spinal stenosis means that something has caused a narrowing around the spinal cord, around the nerve roots that are attached to the spine or to the areas around the discs.

4. Have your spinal stenosis monitored carefully. When a part of the spine narrows, it can cause pain, weakness, numbness or lack of control over other parts of the body.

References

• Spinal stenosis information
• About spinal stenosis

Resources

• Greek etymology of English words