How to Pronounce Spinal Stenosis

Say it like this: SPY-nal steh-NOH-sis. The first word rhymes with 'line,' and the second word has the stress on the second syllable (NOH). The final syllable (sis) sounds like 'sis' in 'sister.'

In 'spinal,' the first syllable (SPY) is stressed. In 'stenosis,' the second syllable (NOH) is stressed. A common mistake is putting the stress on the first syllable of stenosis (STEN-oh-sis), but the correct way is steh-NOH-sis.

Break it like this: SPI-nal ste-NO-sis. That's 2 syllables for the first word and 3 syllables for the second word, making 5 syllables total.

'Spinal' means related to the spine, which is your backbone. The word comes from the Latin word 'spina,' which literally means 'spine' or 'thorn.'

'Stenosis' comes from Greek and means 'narrowing' or 'tightening.' It's used in medical terms to describe any space in the body that has become too narrow.

It means a narrowing of the spaces in your spine. Think of it like a hallway getting squeezed so that things moving through it get pinched.

'Spinal' is also in 'spinal cord' and 'spinal tap.' 'Stenosis' appears in other medical terms like 'aortic stenosis' (narrowing of the aorta) and 'mitral stenosis' (narrowing related to the heart's mitral valve).

You might hear: 'Her doctor explained that spinal stenosis was causing pressure on her nerves.' This sentence uses the term to describe a condition affecting the spine.