The small bony tunnel a nerve uses to exit the spine has become tighter.
In more detail
- Between each pair of vertebrae there are two openings — the neural foramina — one on each side. A spinal nerve root leaves through each one.
- Narrowing happens through several mechanisms at once: the disc loses height and the opening shortens, the facet joint enlarges with arthritis, and ligaments thicken.
- It is graded mild, moderate or severe, and it is described per level and per side.
What it means for you
What matters is whether the nerve using that tunnel is actually being compressed, and that is a clinical question. Moderate narrowing with no symptoms needs nothing. Mild narrowing that corresponds exactly to numbness in the right toes is meaningful. The examination decides, not the grade.
Remember the general rule. Findings like this one are common in people with no pain at all, and become steadily more common with age. A finding on a report is not a diagnosis until someone has matched it to your symptoms and your examination. See understanding your MRI report.
Bring your scan and report in and we will go through it with you. Call (314) 310-5577 or request an appointment.
Common questions
Will foraminal narrowing get worse?
It tends to progress slowly with age, but symptoms fluctuate and frequently improve even when the imaging does not change.
What should I avoid?
Sustained extension — repeated backward bending and overhead work with an arched back — closes the foramen further. Flexion tends to open it.
Is surgery needed?
Only where there is significant nerve compromise that has not responded to treatment. Most foraminal narrowing is managed without it.
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