Spinal
Stenosis
Patients
with symptoms of pain in legs, inability to walk distances,
inability to stand erect or progressive weakness in the
legs may be suffering from spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis
most commonly occurs as a result of degenerative changes
in the spine. As a result of bone spurs the area available
for the spinal nerves to the lower extremities is decreased.
This causes ischemic changes in those nerves when a person
is in the upright or walking position.
Although spinal
stenosis may occur as early as 40 years old it has increasing
incidence with age and is most common in the elderly
population.
Decompression of the spinal canal through surgical means
has very good results alleviating the pain in up to 90%
of the patients and usually greatly improving the patients
walking ability and lifestyle.
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