Neural Foraminal Narrowing
Neural foraminal narrowing means the small opening where a spinal nerve exits has become tighter than normal.
When to get help quickly: Prompt review is important if symptoms are getting worse, weakness is developing, walking is affected, or bladder or bowel symptoms appear.
Common symptoms
Symptoms can include neck or back pain with pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness traveling into an arm or leg because the exiting nerve may be irritated.
When imaging helps
Imaging helps show which opening is narrowed, what is causing the narrowing, and whether the nearby nerve is likely being compressed.
What radiology does
MRI and CT help show whether disc bulges, bone spurs, or other changes are crowding the exiting nerve root.
What usually happens next
Management depends on symptoms and may include physiotherapy, pain management, injections, or spine surgery in selected cases.
Seen this on your report?
Your doctor or the radiologist who wrote it can tell you what it means for you.