I had spinal stenosis with no pain in back at all, but lots in legs - diffuse neuropathic pain rather than located in any particular area. Not degenerative disease, but discs and bone spurs etc pressing on spinal cord. The pain in legs is because the part of spinal cord affected is that which serves the legs. Had operation which was of limited benefit because spinal cord had given way, so permanent damage (softening). So what appears to be peripheral neuropathy can in fact be due to malfunction of central system.