Lumbar (low back) foraminal stenosis
In the low back, foramen are the holes on either side of the vertebral bones where nerves exit the spinal cord and go out into the pelvis and legs. These holes need to be large enough so the nerves can pass through and not become pinched or compressed. Lumbar (low back) foraminal stenosis implies that these holes have become smaller. When the holes get too small it can start to compress nerves as they travel through. The usual way this stenosis occurs is losing the height of our discs. Discs act like the spacers between vertebral bones. As we age our intervertebral discs become thinner losing the spacer effect. Arthritis and bone spurs can also reduce the foramen (holes).
Symptoms
Low back foraminal stenosis can present with a variety of symptoms. This can range from local low back pain to nerve type pain that radiates down the leg. Neurological symptoms are also common with advanced stenosis such as numbness and weakness in the legs.
Treatment
Treatment for low back foraminal stenosis depends on the level of stenosis and the symptoms that exist. In some cases, minor encroachment of the foramen is not a problem and is monitored. In other cases, more advanced treatment is warranted. Chiropractic treatments can be useful. Contact your health provider for more information specific to your case.
Causes of low back pain
The following conditions are common causes of low back pain.
- Lumbar myelopathy
- Cauda equina syndrome
- Lumbar spinal stenosis
- Bone Spurs
- Degenerative disc disease (DDD)
- Pinched nerve
- Lumbar radiculopathy
- Lumbar facet joint pain
- Bulging Disc
- Herniated Disc
- Disc protrusion
- Discogenic pain
- Post laminectomy syndrome
- Coccydynia
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondyloarthropathy
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Reiter’s syndrome
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Enteropathic arthritis
- Sacroiliac disorders
- Foot drop
- Spinal neurofibroma
- Acute low pain
- Chronic low back pain
- Stiff low back
- Trigger points in the low back
- Red flags for low back pain
- Internal disc disruption
- Lumbar spondylosis
- Lumbar facet syndrome
- Lumbar foraminal stenosis
- Lumbar disc herniation
- Lumbar osteoarthritis
- Lumbar osteophytes
