Can spinal stenosis cause muscle spasms?

Big news, everyone: The answer is YES. You can stop reading now if that’s all you wanted to know. But let’s be honest – you’re here for more than just a simple yes or no answer. You want the facts, the details and an entertaining read while you’re at it.

So sit back, relax and let me tell you everything there is to know about spinal stenosis and muscle spasms.

What Is Spinal Stenosis?

Spinal stenosis is a condition where there is narrowing of the spinal canal which puts pressure on the nerves within. This narrowing can happen anywhere along the spine from your neck all the way down to your lower back.

It causes symptoms such as:

  • Pain in your legs or arms
  • Numbness or tingling sensations in limbs
  • Weakness in muscles

Spinal stenosis occurs most often in people over age 50 but can also affect younger adults who have conditions that cause spinal changes like scoliosis, herniated discs or arthritis.

Remember: Just because it happens most commonly in older people doesn’t mean it isn’t something young folk should worry about! We don’t discriminate with our ailments here!

So Where Do Muscle Spasms Come In?

Let’s start off with what exactly we mean by ‘muscle spasms’. When I say muscle spasm, I’m talking about those involuntary contractions that happen when Mr Johnson asks Billy to come up to write some numbers on the board when he wasn’t expecting it for example (or when Sarah accidentally drops her pen). They make your muscles tense up without being asked nicely first.

In cases of spinal stenosis where compressed nerves are involved (remember those?) these irritated nerves cause electrical impulses going haywire leading to sudden involuntary movement resulting into our muscular friends deciding they’re taking control even when we don’t want them to.

How Do I Know If I’ve Got Spinal Stenosis?

The symptoms of spinal stenosis can manifest themselves in many ways but the likes of tingling and numbness is a good place to start. However, bear in mind that these sensations may be vague or difficult for you to describe much like when trying explain what causes hiccups… even if it only happens every now and then.

Some other common signs include:

  • Difficulty standing up straight
  • Lower back pain that extends down into legs
  • Weakness/stiffness in glutes/legs

If you are experiencing any of these make sure you visit your doctor who will likely give a thorough assessment by taking into account both clinical exam findings alongside imaging studies such as an X-ray or MRI scan.

What Causes This Nastiness?

So why do some people develop spinal stenosis at the tender young age of 30 whereas others manage to evade it well into their twilight years? There are several factors:

Ageing

Ageing is probably one cause most people associate with spinal stenosis, although this condition can actually appear earlier on than we realise! The consequences of ageing lead to changes within our spines whereby supportive structures dehydrate creating less cushioning space between intervertebral discs making us more susceptible to deterioration over time which leads me onto my next point…

Arthritis

One’s risk also goes up if they have arthritis (if ever there was an ailment deserving its own Netflix documentary series). But hey ho none the less…arthritis results in damage caused by inflammation leading amongst other things joint tissue destruction causing chronicity…double whammy!

Genetics

Let’s hope your folks didn’t pass on anything too funky because research suggest some individuals may have a genetic predisposition towards developing spinal stenosis (& not just strong facial features) .

Whatever the cause of spinal stenosis, it can be one cruel mistress.

Where Are My Muscle Spasms Coming From?

We’ve touched upon it briefly already but let’s just illustrate this point again with the help of a visual tantalising table – because why not?!

Nerve Area They Serve Impacted Muscles
Cervical Neck and Shoulder areas Hand muscles
Thoracic Chest wall Rib muscles
Lumbar Lower back region Leg and buttock muscles

The nerves within each of these regions become compromised when spinal stenosis is at play. This compression causes irritation leading to muscle spasms BECAUSE THEY ACTIVATE WITHOUT WARNING (much like firecrackers on New Year’s Eve!).

Now that you know which nerve goes where…it becomes easier to trace connections between neurological supply and muscular destinations!

Tiny Little Extras

Let me also first take a second out here for my fellow hypochondriacs who have now Googled “what else could my muscle spasms mean?!” don’t panic! It’s normal in some cases to experience such twitching; however, if muscle symptoms are causing significant discomfort or occurring frequently then its worth checking in with your doctor.

So there you have it folks-the long & short being spinal stenosis can lead into over-enthusiastic uninvited dance parties much like family weddings! Joking aside, but it certainly isn’t anything pleasant.

Treatment – What Can Be Done To Help?

There are several treatments available:

Self Care

If more mild issues bother someone from time-to-time then there are self-help methods people practice. Similar lifestyle habits to those generally advised including regular exercise regimes can be helpful as well as healthy food choices combined with keeping weight under control so less pressure is being placed on joints. Steeping in a tub of warm water can also lead to relief of symptoms because who doesn’t enjoying getting their bathrobe on & feeling fresh!

Prescribed Medication

In more severe cases the use of painkillers, NSAIDs (Non steroidal anti inflammatories) such as ibuprofen, and/or prescriptions anticonvulsants may be an option.

Remember that these medications should only be taken when prescribed by your board-certified zen feeling doctor who will hopefully have lost no sleep over my reference to googling as mentioned above

Physical Therapy

The aim with physical therapy is to of stabilise affected areas through targeted exercises alongside other therapeutic modalities like ultrasound treatments or massages. Especially if nerves are playing up causing less sensation down limbs creating difficulty controlling one’s balance.

(I wonder if having someone else actually do your ironing counts?)

Sometimes physical therapy combined with electrical nerve stimulation has been successful enough for spinal stenosis patients that surgery became unnecessary allowing people to appreciate simple family moments stress free.

When All Else Fails …

…It might be time for surgery.

When conservative methods don’t bring about desired outcomes AND HEAVEN KNOWS we’ve all tried everything; surgical physicians may decide upon relatively low risk procedures like laminectomywhich involves removal compressing the bone material OR partial discotomy which removes bits squeezing our beloved nerves – so saying goodbye.

However, lets turn our frowns around at this point..it’s important you remember the majority (emphasis on majority) return back home symptom free within weeks post-surgery although healing does continue much longer but things generally start looking good!.

Bringing It Home

So now you know-spinal stenosis and muscle spasms go together quicker than mac ‘n cheese. Bow chika wowww.
Although it certainly isn’t pleasing news let alone rocket science which means on the bright side I haven’t just made you even more afraid!

Take care of yourselves and remember that nowadays, with modern medicine getting better every day, there’s light at the end of most tunnels. Even if sometimes we have to take a couple stops for deep breaths along the way

Signing off,

Another Run-of-the-mill Internet Doctor

Random Posts