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Foramen
The foramen (also sometimes called neuroforamen) are the passages between individual
vertebrae
through which the spinal
nerve roots
branch off and exit the spinal cord or
cauda equina.
These natural vertebral openings are kept in place by the
intervertebral discs.
When the spinal discs degenerate, the nerve passageways often narrow, sometimes causing painful
pinched nerve symptoms.
Foramen Degeneration
Besides
disc degeneration
causing a decreased foraminal space, spinal arthritic processes can enact changes in the actual vertebral bones, also creating the possibility for pain.
Bone spurs
might obstruct the foraminal openings, preventing proper nerve signal. However, this occurrence is diagnosed far more often than it typically occurs in symptomatic form.
Foraminal Stenosis
Foraminal stenosis
describes pain which comes from nerve roots being pinched by a constricted neuroforaminal space. Foraminal stenosis symptoms are created in the nerve roots, just after they branch off the
spinal cord,
causing specific painful conditions in the areas of the anatomy served by the affected neurological structures.
Spinal stenosis
is a condition which describes compression of the actual spinal cord and should not be confused with a narrowed foraminal space. Spinal stenosis occurs when the actual spinal cord is impinged upon, often causing wide spread generalized or location specific pain.
The Bottom Line on Foraminal Openings
Although foraminal stenosis can indeed occur and might become a big problem for some patients, it is rarely a symptomatic condition. Disc degeneration and vertebral degeneration are normal and expected parts of the aging process and rarely cause any significant pain. These conditions often exist in adults without causing any discomfort at all. Many patients receive a diagnosis of foraminal stenosis when their
back pain
might actually be from a completely different source. In these cases, the condition has been
misdiagnosed
and subsequent treatment is almost bound to fail miserably…
Foramen to Back Pain Home
11/17/08 Revised 11/3/09
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