Spinal stenosis is a medical term that refers to the space inside the spinal canal being too tight. This space in the spinal canal is where your spinal cord and spinal nerves live. Nerves become irritable when they get squeezed and rubbed on which is not normal for nerves. Nerves require free space to live in and that is why they are protected in the bony spinal canal and this is also why they are suspended in spinal fluid. Once stenosis occurs they become squeezed and they rub against the side walls of the spinal canal, they become irritated and many problems can occur:

1. Pain can occur due to dysfunction of one or many nerves in the back or down the legs. These pains are referred to as radiculopathy pains and seem like a stipe of pain down the back and legs. 

2. Numbness can occur in the back, legs, and/or feet

3. Weakness can occur in the back and/or the legs

4. Walking (aka gait) can become abnormal such as painful walking, or a leaned forward walking 

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Spinal stenosis is treated many ways and technology is finding new ways rapidly. Many patients have tried physical therapy, chiropractic adjustments, and alteration of activity. Once the pain persists after these modalities are tried, then patients often need:

1. Epidural Steroid Injections

2. MILD procedure

2. Vertiflex (spinal spacer devise)

3. Minuteman (spinal spacer with fusion)

4. Spinal Surgery

5. Spinal Cord Stimulator