How is spinal stenosis treated?

Spinal stenosis is narrowing around the spinal nerves. Degenerative disc disease or lumbar spondylosis can contribute to that narrowing. Symptoms may include back discomfort, leg heaviness, tingling, or radiating leg pain that becomes worse with standing or walking and eases with sitting or bending forward.

A clinician considers your walking tolerance, strength, sensation, reflexes, and scan findings. The appearance of narrowing on a scan is weighed alongside symptoms, because treatment is directed at the problems affecting your function.

Conservative care may include pacing activities, changing positions regularly, prescribed pain relief, and physiotherapy focused on trunk strength, hip mobility, balance, and a tolerable walking plan. An epidural steroid injection may be discussed when radiating symptoms remain troublesome, although relief and suitability vary.

When symptoms continue to restrict walking or nerve compression causes a clear deficit, laminectomy can create more space for the affected nerves. Spinal fusion may be added when stability is a concern. These operations require a specialist discussion of expected benefits, risks, and recovery.

Book a clinical review for worsening walking distance, persistent leg pain, numbness, or weakness. Seek emergency care for new difficulty passing urine, loss of bowel control, numbness around the genitals or inner thighs, or rapidly worsening weakness, because these can signal cauda equina syndrome.

Ask which finding explains your symptoms, what exercise is suitable, whether an injection is reasonable, and what change would make surgery more urgent. Ask how walking and nerve function will be followed over time.