October Feature - Lumbar Stenosis Lumbar Stenosis Lumbar Spinal Stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal which compresses the nerves traveling through the lumbar spine into the legs.
Pain radiates into one or both thighs and legs.
Symptoms are relieved by sitting or lying down, and or by bending at the waist, such as when walking behind a shopping cart. In rare cases, patients can lose motor functioning the legs, bowel or bladder function. Many patients have modified their lifestyles, becoming more sedentary in an effort to control their pain. It is not uncommon for patients to have routine x-rays as part of their initial diagnostic testing routine. However, they cannot rule out spinal stenosis.