Plagued by Leg Pain? It Could Be Spinal Stenosis — Not Sciatica

You may be all too familiar with the pattern of symptoms called sciatica. Commonly, it causes lower back pain combined with radiating symptoms down the leg, usually on one side. 

The symptoms can include sharp pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness along the sciatic nerve’s path. However, it is most often experienced through the buttock, thigh, and knee. 

Sciatica results from any condition that compresses or irritates the sciatic nerve. Spinal stenosis is one of these conditions. 

At Coast Neurosurgical Associates in Long Beach, California, we frequently treat sciatica caused by lumbar spinal stenosis. In this month’s blog, we take a look at the relationship between sciatica and spinal stenosis. 

Understanding spinal stenosis

Tasked with supporting your upper body as well as protecting the spinal cord, your spine is complex. With all that goes on in the spine, it’s probably not surprising that space is at a premium. 

Nerve tissue branches from the spinal cord and travels to all points of your body. Nerves are delicate and fragile, and when they're irritated or compressed, problems begin. 

Stenosis is a medical term describing any narrowing that happens in the body. When any nerve passageway through the spine narrows, it may affect nearby nerve tissue. That’s what we call spinal stenosis. 

It may happen because of genetics, or it could result from a structural injury or degenerative condition, like arthritis. When stenosis impacts nerve tissue in the lumbar spine region, sciatica often results. 

Recognizing spinal stenosis symptoms

So, what are the symptoms of stenosis? Watch for symptoms like: 

• Dull or shooting lower back pain
• Aching or pain in the leg
• Numbness or tingling sensations from the buttocks or the legs
• Weakness in leg muscles
• Feelings of fatigue or heaviness in the leg

These symptoms can be common to any underlying cause of sciatica. 

Sometimes symptoms start or get worse when you stand or walk but then get better when you rest. 

Perhaps the most classic tell-tale indicator of sciatica is called “shopping cart sign,” where leaning forward on the push bar of a shopping cart provides temporary relief.

Why a stenosis diagnosis matters

Identifying its cause means the difference between effective and ineffective treatments. Stenosis may result from a variety of conditions, including: 

• Traumatic injury 
• Herniated discs 
• Thickened ligaments 
• Bone spurs 

There are other conditions that cause sciatica-like symptoms without being related to problems in the lumbar spine, stemming instead from joint and muscle conditions. 

There’s no reason to simply live with sciatica. When your problem is intensifying or persistent, contact Coast Neurosurgical Associates by phone or online to schedule a consultation with our surgeons. Plan your visit today.