Usually occurring in patients older than 40, a tightening or narrowing of the canal around the spinal cord (which is called the spinal stenosis) happens when spinal canal ligaments thicken and harden and bone and joints enlarge. If a patient is born with a narrow spinal canal, problems can present as early as in their third decade of life. Possible medical solutions include Laminectomy and Discectomy, procedures that are designed to lower the pressure on the spinal cord.