Spinal bones are stacked in a column from the skull to the tailbone. They protect the spinal cord, which runs through an opening called the spinal canal. Some people are born with a small spinal canal.
Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of one or more spaces within your spinal canal. It causes symptoms like back or neck pain and tingling in your arms or legs.
It protects the nervous system, facilitates movement, and enables communication between the brain and the rest of the body. Nevertheless, despite being such a critical structure in the human body, the spine is often misunderstood, which can lead to unnecessary fear and anxiety about spinal health.
This human anatomy module is composed of diagrams, illustrations and 3D views of the back, cervical, thoracic and lumbar spinal areas as well as the various vertebrae.
The vertebral column is also known as the spinal column or spine (Figure 1). It consists of a sequence of vertebrae (singular = vertebra), each of which is separated and united by an intervertebral disc. Together, the vertebrae and intervertebral discs form the vertebral column. It is a flexible column that supports the head, neck, and body and allows for their movements. It also protects the ...
The spinal cord extends from the skull to your lower back and travels through the middle part of each stacked vertebra, called the central canal. Nerves branch out from the spinal cord through openings in the vertebrae and carry messages between the brain and muscles.
Spinal stenosis: A condition in which your spinal canal narrows, causing back pain & other nerve-related problems. With proper exercise and treatment, you can reduce its effects.