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Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a medical condition in which the spinal canal narrows and compresses the nerves and blood vessels at the level of the lumbar vertebrae. Spinal stenosis may also affect the cervical or thoracic region, in which case it is known as cervical spinal stenosis or thoracic spinal stenosis.
Such severe spinal stenosis symptoms are virtually absent in lumbar stenosis, however, as the spinal cord terminates at the top end of the adult lumbar spine, with only nerve roots (cauda equina) continuing further down. [15] Cervical spinal stenosis is a condition involving narrowing of the spinal canal at the level of the neck.
MRI of the lumbar spine showing spinal stenosis. Neurogenic claudication is one subtype of the clinical syndrome of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). [9] No gold standard diagnostic criteria currently exist, but evaluation and diagnosis is generally based on the patient history, physical exam, and medical imaging. [1]
Other symptoms include impaired walking and a slightly stooped posture due to loss of disc height and bulging of the disc. Lumbar spinal stenosis is very prevalent with 9.3% of the general population producing symptoms and the number is continuing to rise in patients older than 60. [16]
Symptoms may be unilateral or bilateral, and correlate to the region of the spine affected. The most common region for spinal disk disease is at L4–L5 or L5–S1. [20] The risk for lumbar disc disease is increased in overweight individuals because of the increased compressive force on the nucleus pulposus, and is twice as likely to occur in men.
Common symptoms of lumbar stenosis are pain, fatigue, weakness of the muscle and numbness. [2] Stenosis can be caused by old age or an injury to the vertebral column and usually requires a CT scan or MRI to diagnose. [2] Performing a laminotomy can relieve pressure in the spinal canal caused by lumbar stenosis and therefore alleviate symptoms. [1]
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