When you look at the spinal canal, you’ll find that it is made up of vertebrae that are essentially stacked one on top of the other. You have the cervical spine, which is the neck area, the thoracic spine, which is the middle of the back, and the lumbar spine is the low back. Your spinal cord goes through this spinal canal, going all the way down through the back, and nerves come off the spinal cord between your vertebrae. Sometimes a condition called spinal stenosis occurs, which is when the spinal canal is narrowed abnormally.
This ends up limiting the space for the nerves and spinal cord to pass through. Sometimes the nerves and the spinal cord may end up being squeezed or compressed. While this can occur at any point in the spine, usually it occurs in either the lumbar or the cervical spine. Wondering what causes this problem? Here is a look at some of the spinal stenosis causes.
Spinal Injury
One of the spinal stenosis causes that can lead to this problem is a spinal injury. A trauma to the spine, like a fall or being involved in a car accident, may cause the vertebrae to be fractured or dislocated. In some cases, a displaced bone that occurs when there is a fracture may end up damaging the canal. Swelling may end up occurring as well, further limiting the space inside the spinal canal. This can start putting pressure on the nerves or the spinal cord.
Disk Degeneration
Probably the most common spinal stenosis causes is disk degeneration. When you get older, the discs that are between the vertebrae often end up deteriorating. Some small tears may occur in the disk, which allows the substance inside to end up leaking out. This may start protruding and then may narrow the spinal column, also compressing nerves and the spinal cord.
Spinal Tumors
Sometimes spinal tumors may occur, one of the other spinal stenosis causes. Growths that are abnormal may end up forming in the spinal cord or in the space that is between the vertebrae and the spinal cord. As these tumors get larger, the spinal canal may be narrowed and nerve roots or the spinal cord may be compressed by the tumor. Some tumors may be cancerous, while others may be benign.
Osteoarthritis
Many people deal with osteoarthritis as they grow older, which can be one of the spinal stenosis causes too. The joints that are between the vertebrae start to deteriorate with age. Sometimes the body works to repair this problem, which may lead to bony growths in the area. When these boney growths are produced, they may end up narrowing the spinal canal, causing the stenosis to occur.
Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis is another of the spinal stenosis causes you need to know about. In some cases, an injury or motion that occurs between your vertebrae may end up causing one of the vertebra to slip a bit forward on the one below it. This puts the spinal column out of alignment. This condition is called spondylolisthesis. Since a vertebra has moved, it may cause the spinal canal to become smaller in that area, and that narrowing can cause problems with nerves and the spinal cord.
Other Spinal Stensosis Causes
There are several other spinal stenosis causes that can occur as well. Sometimes ligaments in the area may end up thickening as you age. They can become thick and may become quite stiff as well. When they thicken, they can start to bulge into your spinal canal. A genetic disorder known as achondroplasia can also cause this problem. It ends up slowing down the rate of bone formation, causing dwarfism to occur. People with this problem are born with a spinal canal that is narrowed. Paget’s disease of the bone may cause this problem, since your body produces bone faster than normal. This causes bones to be weak and prone to fracture. Some bones may be abnormally large or deformed, which can reduce the space of your spinal canal, causing stenosis.