7/31/2019 Spinal Stenosis | Johns Hopkins Medicine

Health
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Spinal Stenosis
 Back and Neck Pain (/health/conditions-and-diseases/back-pain)  Orthopedics (/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/orthopedics)
 Back and Spine Surgery (/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/back-spine-surgery)

What is spinal stenosis?

The bones of the spine create a channel for the spinal cord and nerve roots. Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of this
channel, most commonly due to degenerative spinal disease associated with aging. In some cases, a person can be
born with spinal stenosis.

What are the symptoms of spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis can put pressure on the spinal cord (resulting in myelopathy
(https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/adult/nervous_system_disorders/neurological_disorders_22,Myelopathy

/)) or on nerve roots — the branches of the spinal cord that extend into the body (resulting in radiculopathy).

What are the risk factors of spinal stenosis?

The spinal cord is surrounded by bone from the vertebrae of your spinal column in the spinal canal. Each of the bones
in your spinal column are connected at joints, with nerves that exit your spinal cord in nerve channels near these joints.
As we age, arthritis can affect the vertebrae and spinal joints, causing narrowing of the spinal canal and nerve channels.
In addition, spinal disks that cushion the space between the vertebrae gradually dry out and flatten, which can also put
pressure on the spinal canal and nerves.

Spinal Stenosis Diagnosis

Your doctor may recommend the following tests:

an X-ray (https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/test_procedures/neurological/x-
rays_of_the_spine_neck_or_back_92,P07645) to rule out other problems

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI

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Spinal Fusion | Richard Shetter's Story

Spinal Fusion | Richard’s Story

After living with back pain for years and not having any positive results from prior care, U.S. Army veteran Richard
Shetter sought a second opinion from the Johns Hopkins orthopaedic spine division.
Learn more about Richard’s care at Johns Hopkins (/orthopaedic-surgery/patient-information/patient-stories/spinal-fusion-
richard-story.html).

Request an Appointment

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855-695-4872 (tel:855-695-4872)
Outside of Maryland

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7/31/2019 Spinal Stenosis | Johns Hopkins Medicine

Related Topics
Back and Neck Pain (/health/conditions-and-diseases/back-pain)
Orthopedics (/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/orthopedics)
Back and Spine Surgery (/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/back-spine-surgery)

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