The lumbar spinal canal contains the nerve roots that form the cauda equina. Each nerve travels through a specific pathway before leaving the spine.
Please review the Lumbosacral spine anatomy section for more information.
Nerve compression may occur in several locations:
- The central spinal canal
- The lateral recess beside the spinal canal
- The neural foramen where a nerve exits
- The area outside the foramen
Major Diagnosis Types
Below are the major types we see in our clinic. Click on available links to learn about our approach to the problems.
Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a general term describing narrowing around the nerves in the lower back.
The narrowing may affect the central canal, lateral recesses, neural foramina, or more than one of these areas.
Lumbar stenosis is commonly caused by a combination of disc degeneration, facet joint enlargement, bone spurs, and thickening of the spinal ligaments.
Minor Diagnosis Types
These terms are often encountered, but are either less often treated or described within one of the above diagnoses.
Epidural Lipomatosis
Epidural lipomatosis is an excessive buildup of fatty tissue within the spinal canal.
The enlarged fatty tissue may narrow the space available for the nerves and produce symptoms similar to spinal stenosis.
It may be associated with obesity, long-term steroid use, certain endocrine conditions, or may occur without a clearly identifiable cause.