By the age of 50, up to 95% of people suffer degenerative changes to the spine. What it feels like: Not everyone with spinal stenosis—narrowing of the spinal canal—will experience symptoms. For those who do, possible symptoms include:

• Lower back pain
• Leg pain
• Sciatica
• Numbness/tingling in buttocks and legs
• Weakness in the legs
• Pain that gets better with sitting

Who is affected? Spinal stenosis most commonly occurs in patients 60+. Some people are born with back problems that progress into spinal stenosis at a younger age, normally between ages 30-50. How common is it? This condition is often caused by normal wear and tear and is extremely common in older adults. Risk factors:

• Age
• Arthritis
• Genetics
• Overuse
• Congenital spinal stenosis

Treatment:

• Medication
• Physical therapy
• Lumbar traction
• Steroid injections
• Chiropractic care
• Acupuncture
• Surgery in some cases
  • • Laminectomy
    • Spinal fusion

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A common cause of low back and leg pain is lumbar spinal stenosis. As we age, our spines change. These normal wear-and-tear effects of aging can lead to narrowing of the spinal canal. This condition is called spinal stenosis. Degenerative changes of the spine are seen in up to 95% of people by the age of 50. Spinal stenosis most often occurs in adults over 60 years old. Pressure on the nerve roots is equally common in men and women. A small number of people are born with back problems that develop into lumbar spinal stenosis. This is known as congenital spinal stenosis. It occurs most often in men. People usually first notice symptoms between the ages of 30 and 50. For more information click here: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00329 or here: http://www.depuysynthes.com/patients/ aabp/resources/articles_learn/id_23