Spinal Stenosis Symptoms & Diagnosis

Symptoms

Symptoms include:

• Numbness, weakness, cramping, or pain in the legs and thighs
• Radiating pain down the leg
• Abnormal bowel and/or bladder function
• Decreased sensation in the feet causing difficulty placing the feet when walking
• Loss of sexual function
• Partial or complete paralysis of legs

Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done.

Tests may include:

• X-ray —a test that uses radiation to take pictures of structures inside the body; in this case, to check for abnormalities in the bones of the back including osteoarthritis, bone spurs, and obvious narrowing of the spinal canal
• CT scan —a type of x-ray that uses a computer to make pictures of the bony architecture of the back, which helps to evaluate the spinal canal
• MRI scan —a test that uses magnetic waves to make pictures of soft tissue, such as the spinal cord and the spinal nerves inside the back