Stenosis
Stenosis in it’s truest sense refers to the narrowing of a tube within the body. The actual definition from the American Heritage Dictionary is: a constriction or narrowing of a duct or passage; a stricture.
So what does this have to do with you? Well, your body is made up of miles and miles of hollow tubes, many small and large hollow spaces, and even well established and reinforced canals. With this in mind, there are nearly endless areas where stenosis could occur. There are many different kinds of stenosis, each with it’s own set of signs and symptoms. Even though there can be severe consequences, stenosis may come and go and you won’t even know about it.
Stenosis
Here are some of the different kinds of stenosis:
Aortic Stenosis: This is a very serious condition where the aorta narrows. The aorta is the main artery carrying oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. If stenosis occurs in this ‘tube’ the rest of the body will suffer. You may simply experience a feeling of fatigue and drowsiness but may endure far worse symptoms.
Pyloric Stenosis: This is an example of stenosis affecting an organ. The place where the intestines join the stomach is called the pylorus. If this gets narrowed, then it is pyloric stenosis and the stomach will have trouble emptying.
Pulmonary Stenosis: This is a condition where the artery leading from the heart to the lungs is narrowed. Often this can cause a back up of blood in the circulatory system as less can get forced through. Ankle swelling and a feeling of tiredness can result from pulmonary stenosis.
Stenosis can affect your arteries and veins as well as hollow organs. The above examples are only a few examples of stenosis. Often onset is gradual so take care to know what are the symptoms of stenosis versus natural changes due to aging.