thoracic spinal stenosis

Could the sensation to have a bowel movenment be caused by my thoracic spinal stenosis?  I have been having the "pressure" on and off for over a year now. The spinal stenosis is bad enough that I cannot lean back in a recliner.  Thank you for your expertise.  Jackie D

[J T Junig, MD PhD]

That's a stumper...  I'm not sure if you are saying that you actually need to move your bowels, or that there is a feeling that doesn't lead to anything else.

This is just a theoretical answer... but there is a balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic tone in many organ systems, including the intestines and bowel.  Sympathetic activity comes from the spinal cord at thoracic and lumbar levels, and parasympathetic activity comes from sacral and cervical levels... if the spinal stenosis impacted the nerves leaving the spine at the thoracic level, reducing sympathetic activity, this would tip the scales toward the parasympathetic side... and at the GI system the parasympathetics cause bowel motility or 'peristalsis', and sympathetic tone tends to shut down bowel activity.

If you are following me, I am suggesting that yes, interfering with sympathetic supply of the GI system would favor bowel motility, perhaps including the urge to move your bowels.

[prinxx]

A related discussion, results for surgical treatment of Thoracic spinal stenosis was started.