Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: When To Call A Doctor

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When To Call a Doctor

Call 911 or other emergency services immediately if:

• A fall or injury—even a mild one—has caused numbness or weakness in one or both arms, or one or both legs.
• Low back pain is accompanied by an inability to move the legs (paralysis), confusion, or shock.
• You have a loss of bowel or bladder control.

Note: If you suspect that someone has had a spinal injury, call 911 or other emergency services immediately. Do not move the person unless there is an immediate threat to life, such as a fire. If there is immediate danger, keep the head, neck, and back supported and aligned while you move the person to safety.

Call your doctor if:

• Leg pain is accompanied by persistent weakness, tingling, or numbness in any part of the leg from the buttock to the ankle or foot.
• Low back pain is accompanied by vomiting and/or fever.
• Leg pain, weakness, numbness that comes and goes (intermittent), or tingling persists longer than 1 week despite using home treatment.
• Significant back pain either does not improve or gets worse over 2 weeks.
• A back injury is work-related, and symptoms do not improve in 2 to 3 days.

Watchful Waiting

Lumbar spinal stenosis usually develops gradually over months to years. If you have symptoms that come on suddenly, you may have another serious condition and should call your health professional.

If you begin to regularly experience leg pain when walking and standing, call your health professional.

Who To See

The following health professionals can diagnose and treat spinal stenosis:

• Family medicine physician
• Internist
• Nurse practitioner
• Physician assistant
• Emergency medicine (ER) doctor

Specialists who can treat spinal stenosis include the following:

• Orthopedist/orthopedic surgeon, including surgeons who specialize in the spine
• Neurologist or neurosurgeon
• Rheumatologist
• Physiatrist
• Physical therapist

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.

Last updated:	February 21, 2008
Author:	Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, Robert B. Keller, MD - Orthopedics
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC