Congenital stenosis of the cervical spinal canal is the narrowing of the spinal canal in the neck. This condition, which exists at birth but is not hereditary, puts the affected person at increased risk of injuring the spinal cord. The spinal canal lies within the spine and encases the spinal cord. The vertebral body (back bone) forms the front and the lamina (bony covering) forms the back of this canal. The spinal cord travels from the brain through the canal to the lower back, giving feeling and movement to the entire body. Spinal cord injury can occur when the neck is forced to bend too far forward or backward or is com-pressed through a blow to the top of the head. With these motions, the spinal cord can be pinched within the narrow canal.A suspected spinal cord injury should be treated as a medical emergency, with the health care provider taking full precautions to protect your spine and to transport you by ambulance to the hospital. X-rays of the cervical spine are taken to find out what is causing the symptoms. If your spinal canal is narrowing, the x-rays can expose the condition. Sometimes, they reveal other problems including congenital fusion (permanent union of two vertebrae), degenerative changes, fractures, and damage to the ligaments (tissue connecting two bones) that contribute to the symptoms.

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