A Look at Spinal Stenosis in Young Patients
Posted on Apr 26, 2016 10:35am PDT
If you experience back pain, you’re not alone. Back pain is a relatively
common condition which can be caused by acute injury, degenerative disc
disease, herniated disc, and other issues. One potential cause of back
pain is spinal stenosis, or a narrowing of the spine. The spine can be
affected in its center, in the canals where nerves branch out, or in the
spaces between the vertebrae. If there are issues in any of these three
places, spinal stenosis may be the result.
Spinal stenosis in Miami is typically found in adults over 50 years old, but can also affect a
younger segment of the population. Read on to learn more about spinal
stenosis in young patients.
Symptoms
In some cases, spinal stenosis may not present with any symptoms at all.
At other times, the symptoms may appear gradually and get worse as time
goes on. Neck and back pain are common symptoms of spinal stenosis, as
is numbness, weakness, or pain in the arms or legs. Some patients may
experience foot pain, while others feel shooting pains down their legs.
If you notice that you have any of these symptoms or that they are getting
worse, talk to your spine center doctor.
Causes
Spinal stenosis is often due to the changes in the spine brought on by
the aging process. However, spinal stenosis can also affect younger people.
Rheumatoid arthritis usually appears earlier than osteoarthritis, and
can cause damage and swelling in the joints. It is not a common cause
of spinal stenosis, but may affect the spine nonetheless. In some cases,
people are born with issues that can lead to spinal stenosis. Some people
are born with a relatively small spinal canal, which sets them up for
the condition. People who are born with a curved spine, better known as
scoliosis, may also be at increased risk of developing spinal stenosis.
Injuries may also cause spinal stenosis, and these injuries may occur
at a young age.