Causes of Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal, and it can be present at any level of the spine. While lumbar spinal stenosis is the most common type, stenosis can also occur in the thoracic or cervical areas of the spine. Spinal stenosis causes a variety of symptoms such as severe pain, weakness, numbness and the loss of mobility.
Spinal stenosis is often associated with the aging process, as when ligaments begin to calcify and bone spurs form. These abnormalities can intrude into the spinal canal and cause pressure on the nerve roots by limiting the amount of space in the spinal column. This nerve compression often causes pain, tingling, or numbness in the extremities.
Spinal stenosis can be congenital (i.e. a birth defect). With congenital spinal stenosis, the patient is born with a narrow spinal canal due to abnormally formed parts of the spine. This condition is most common in patients with a short stature, such as achondroplastic dwarves. Spinal stenosis may also result from any of the following non-congenital conditions:
Aging
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a form of arthritis typically caused by age-related wear-and-tear, and is the most common form of arthritis. Sometimes osteoarthritis follows an injury to a joint. For example, a young person might hurt his knee badly playing soccer. Then, years after the knee has apparently healed, he might get arthritis in his knee joint.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease that causes pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of function in the joints. It occurs in a symmetrical pattern, meaning that if one joint is affected, the corresponding joint is also affected. People with rheumatoid arthritis often experience fatigue, occasional fever, and a general sense of malaise.
Spondylosis
Spondylosis is a degeneration of the vertebral functions leading to the formation of bones spurs. Spondylosis commonly occurs with aging. Often there is an accompanying herniation of an intervertebral disc and compression of nerve roots. This compression can result in sensory and motor disturbances and pain.
Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis is a condition that occurs when one vertebra slips forward over another vertebra.
Spinal injury
Spinal birth defect
Spinal tumors
Swelling after spinal surgery
Paget's Disease of Bone
Paget's Disease is a disease of the bones usually occurring in middle-aged and elderly patients. Paget’s Disease initially results in the excessive destruction of the bone followed by the replacement of normal bone marrow with vascular and fibrous tissue. This excessive bone destruction sometimes leads to bone pain and fractures. When any disease reaches the point of causing nerve root inflammation or irritation, the results can become intolerable.
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