Lumbar Stenosis - numbness/weakness

[gismatrix]

Hi
I was recently diagnosed with moderate to severe L3-L4 and L4-L5 stenosis.  The MRI report also indicated moderate foraminal narrowing at 3 or 4 disc levels, and the report mentioned desiccation at all but one of the disc levels.  The L4-L5 also indicated ligamentum flavum hypertrophy and facet athrosis.  What does this mean?  

34 years - 6 foot 4 inches, 230 lbs.  I have episodic numbness and pain in legs, but also have this problem in arms and hands too (numbness and slight tremor).  I also have abdominal pains (mostly ULQ) and fluctuation in stool.  I don't smoke or drink.  I'm on paxil (mood), lisinopril and small dose of atenolol (hypertension).  I have taken paxil and lisinopril for years.  I had two ablations for SVT in 2006 - second one caused a PE which I took warfarin for 6 months.  No clotting factors. The numbness started in my legs and affects my hands and forearms as well.  Sometimes I feel this squeezing feeling either in my hands or in my lower back.  When I sit for long periods and then stand up and walk I sometimes get episodes of numbness and weakness that make me have to walk slow and/or sit down and rest.  Also I get some strange sensations in my hands and forearms...like holding a phone my hand gets tense and heavy and I have to switch hands.  Also, both arms fall "asleep" at night, and I am not laying on them.   I have a stiff/aching neck for over a year that waxes and wanes, but stays sore all the time.   I have had several workups before the MRI.  I have normal cbc, liver blood tests, mri of head, abdominal ct, no lyme, b12, no hepatitis, no cmv, blood smear neg pathogens, etc.  Normal ncv/emg

Could the arm involvement indicate some cervical stenosis?  
Can lumbar stenosis to affect the arms?  
Also, the digestive issues - testing (colonoscopy, endoscopy, etc) is normal.  Could this stenosis cause this?  
Are there any diseases that cause the stenosis or cause a more rapid degeneration of my discs?

Thank you

[dominic445]

A related discussion, shivers was started.

[murrays]

A related discussion, Lumbar Stenosis with Leg Numbness was started.

[gismatrix]

I also should mention that I get fasiculations in my calves alot...along with numbness and tingling.  I am curious if this is common with stenosis or if this is indicative of some other organic issue or disease process.

Sorry about the length of my question above - I work in the sciences and know that more data can help in the differencial.

Thanks.

[Prem Pillay, MD]

If you work in the sciences you will realize that I am unable to give you a diagnosis without a formal consult and examination.
In general though your story sounds suspicous for both cervical and lumbar canal stenosis. You should get an MRI of the cervical spine.
You should get a neurosurgeon to look at you and give you an opinion. Surgery may be neccessary.