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| Home > Spinal Disorders > Degenerative Spine > Cervical Stenosis - Overview |
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CERVICAL STENOSIS
Overview
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Symptoms
Neck pain, shoulder, arm or hand pain, weakness in the upper or lower extremities, lack of coordination, imbalance when walking, bowel or bladder incontinence.
General Overview
Cervical spinal stenosis refers to a set of symptoms related to narrowing of the spinal canal in the neck seen with aging and degeneration. The spinal canal is like a tunnel which runs up and down the human spine. This canal sits directly behind the bony blocks which make up the spine (vertebrae) and contains the nerves (spinal cord and nerve roots) running from the brain to all areas of the body. The nerves exit the cervical spinal canal and travel through the arms. The rest traverse down the legs.
Stenosis is the gradual result of aging and "wear and tear" on the spine as well as a genetic predisposition. With age, the disc space decreases in height and bulges posteriorly toward the spinal canal. The facet joints and ligaments also enlarge and bulge toward the spinal canal. The ligaments of the spine can thicken and harden (calcification). Bones and joints may also enlarge when arthritis develops in the small joints of the spine (facets), and bone spurs (osteophytes) may form compressing nerves or the spinal card. Spondylolisthesis, the slipping of one vertebra onto another, also may occur and leading to compression.
Stenosis in the neck can both affect the individual spinal nerves causing arm pain (radiculopathy), or may affect the spinal cord resulting in imbalance, coordination difficulty (myelopathy), or both. The pain and the compression on the nerves are generally worse when the patient extends the neck. The pressure on the spinal cord can result in irreversible weakness and atrophy of muscles of the hand and of the trunk and legs. When the spinal cord is squeezed, the damage may become progressive and in some patients irreversible nerve damage can result.
The symptoms of cervical stenosis can be very mild or unnoticeable even when significant stenosis is present. This is because the spinal cord has the ability to accommodate to some degree. A sudden force such as a car accident or fall that would not cause damage in a healthy spine can result in severe symptoms in a patient with pre-existing cervical stenosis.
If the nerves are being sufficiently pinched in the neck, the patient can experience unremitting arm pain. When the neuroforamina are reduced in size due to surrounding buildup of tissue, the nerves react to the pressure by swelling thereby causing irritation to the nerves. Also, if the spinal cord is compressed, balance problems, problems with coordination, and bowel and bladder incontinence may develop. This condition, when it significantly affects the quality of living, can be treated surgically by removing the offending discs, overgrown ligaments and bone.
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Excerpts of this article (text/graphics) were provided by
"AllAboutBackandNeckPain.com" DePuy Spine ©2003.
All rights reserved.
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