Foraminal Stenosis

Foraminal Stenosis

Foraminal stenosis is a specific type of spinal stenosis referring to the narrowing of the intervertebral foramina, the openings on the sides of the spine through which spinal nerve roots exit. Each nerve root passes through a foramen as it leaves the spinal canal. These passageways through the foramen can become narrowed by bone spurs, disc material, or other tissue. When this occurs, it creates the condition known as foraminal stenosis or foramina narrowing. Essentially, it’s a “pinched nerve” scenario due to the nerve being cramped in a tunnel. Foraminal stenosis can occur at any level of the spine but is most common in the cervical and lumbar regions, where there is lots of motion and thus more wear-and-tear changes. Many times, foraminal stenosis is part of overall spinal degeneration – for example, a person with degenerative disc disease and arthritis may develop both central canal stenosis and foraminal stenosis at certain levels. It can, however, occur in isolation at one nerve root.