Your spinal column is composed of 24 vertebrae: seven cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebrae and five lumbar vertebrae, according to health professionals at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). The cervical vertebrae are the small bones within the neck that support your skull and allow nerve signals to be passed throughout your body. If the center portion of these cervical vertebrae--the spinal canal--begins to narrow, the nerves and spinal cord can become compressed, causing a condition called cervical stenosis.
Neck Pain
Compression of the cervical nerves due to cervical stenosis can cause some patients to develop neck pain. Pain typically arises gradually and may be only mild or moderate in severity. The pain can be dull and achy, although certain people with this condition may not experience any neck pain.
Weakness or Numbness
If the nerves of the cervical spine are pinched or damaged, they are not able to efficiently pass nerve signals from the spine to other regions of your body. Decreased nerve signaling can cause you to experience sensations of burning, cramping, numbness, tingling or weakness within your extremities--particularly you shoulders, arms or legs. Such symptoms can be uncomfortable and may negatively influence motor coordination within your hands or feet.
Hand Clumsiness
If you have cervical stenosis, you may notice that you develop difficulty using your hands normally. You may begin to drop things more frequently or notice that your handwriting appears sloppy or illegible. Additional symptoms, such as hand numbness or weakness, may occur in patients with cervical stenosis.
Difficulty Walking
Symptoms of cervical stenosis include an abnormal gait or difficulty walking. You may develop balance difficulties, making you feel unsteady when you attempt to walk. You may find that you need to hold onto objects, such as a cane or the stair railing, to steady yourself. The Colorado Comprehensive Spine Institute in Englewood warns that certain patients can develop paraplegia, depending upon the severity of the nerve compression caused by cervical stenosis. Paraplegia is a condition that results in the inability to move or feel sensation within the lower extremities. If left untreated, such symptoms can be permanent.
Incontinence
Disruption of cervical nerve signaling can lead to bladder or bowel difficulties. Although rare, cervical stenosis may cause you to be unable to control your urinary flow (urinary incontinence) or stool production (fecal incontinence).
