19 Jul Conservative Treatments for Spinal Stenosis
Over 31 million people experience lower back pain with one of the most common causes being spinal stenosis. What is spinal stenosis? The spinal column contains numerous vertebrae that rest upon each other with openings around the spinal cord and nerves. When inflammation and swelling causes those openings to shrink, patients begin to experience back pain and other symptoms that can remain for years. Without proper treatment, spinal stenosis can cause loss of mobility and bowel control, the development of bone spurs, nerve damage and even paralysis. Thankfully, we have many effective rehabilitative therapies that can help conquer your spinal stenosis. Learn how you can overcome your lower back pain today at Mile High Spine & Pain Center!
What Is Spinal Stenosis?
If you have lower back pain, it could be spinal stenosis. What is this though? A healthy spine ensures that your body holds itself properly and functions correctly. The spinal column usually consists of 33 different vertebrae. The lumbar vertebrae are the lower five vertebrae in the back. These are the vertebrae that carry all the weight of the upper body. These lumbar vertebrae also allow movement in your torso.
The vertebrae in the spinal column generally have plenty of openings and gaps where the spinal cord and various nerves lie. This is normal and what you want. When injury or activity causes those openings to shrink, you could begin to experience symptoms such as pain, numbness and tingling. Not all patients experience these symptoms or symptoms at all though.
Causes and Symptoms
How does spinal stenosis occur? We believe it’s important to find the cause of your problem instead of trying to simply mask the symptoms with medicine. Finding the cause of your pain is the best path you can take to recover, or your problem could grow worse. Some common causes include:
- Hereditary disorders that cause bone thickening (such as achrondoplasia)
- Scoliosis
- Herniated or bulging discs (which can easily be corrected)
- Injuries to a tendon, ligament or muscle that causes weakness in one area of the back
- Ligament hardening from age or activity that causes wear and tear on the spine
- Sports injuries, car accidents or activities that cause slipped vertebrae to be more common
- Degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
According to some studies, spinal stenosis is most commonly caused by some form of arthritis due to wear-and-tear changes in the body. This is most often from osteoarthritis. So what type of symptoms will you experience? We’ve mentioned a few of the basics: chronic pain, numbness and tingling. Patients will experience the numbness and tingling in the back, shoulders, hips or legs. They will also feel pain and irritation that slowly develops in one or more areas of the spine. Weakness and cramping is normal and so are radiating sensations that move down the limbs. Patients will generally have their symptoms worsen with physical activity or movement.
Some Facts
There are various forms of spinal stenosis. Some patients actually don’t have any symptoms when they have spinal stenosis. A patient can have a problem for years without any problems manifesting. Others will have chronic pain and can experience neuropathy symptoms such as tingling, numbness and muscle weakness. It all depends on the patient. Some common forms of spinal stenosis include:
- Lumbar Stenosis – The openings in the lower part of the back narrows, causing lower back pain.
- Cervical Stenosis – The openings in the neck narrow, causing back pain up high.
Lower Back Pain
If you have lower back pain, you’re not alone. According to the American Chiropractic Association, lower back pain is the “single leading cause” of disability worldwide. It’s one of the most common reasons for missed work and about half of all working Americans have problems with lower back pain each year. In studies, it is estimated that about 31 million Americans are experiencing lower back pain at any given time. In many cases, this is a result of problems with spinal stenosis. However, most cases of back pain are not caused by serious conditions or diseases. We can help alleviate back pain in many of our patients with the right conservative treatment customized to each patient.
Conservative Treatments for Spinal Stenosis
What are our conservative treatments? We are highly trained to treat problems with the body, especially when it involves the back. We have also found that treating the problem early-on is the best way to relieve your pain and symptoms quicker. We have many conservative treatments to treat your spinal stenosis that include:
- Chiropractic Adjustment – This is one of the best ways to release pressure on the nerves while realigning your vertebrae. Our chiropractic adjustments are gentle for any age and many patients feel relief after one session.
- Massage Therapy – We perform muscle manipulation through massage to reduce your compression. Massage improves your circulation, breaks up inflammation and speeds healing to the site.
- Lumbar Traction Treatment – These specific treatments will gently stretch apart compressed sections of the spine causing your symptoms. This is part of our cervical and lumbar decompression.
- Inflammation Injections – These anti-inflammatory injections work to provide you immediate relief and stop your pain right at the source.
Overcome Your Spinal Stenosis Today
With these conservative treatments, we are sure you will find relief. We can also provide you referrals for additional treatments if your spinal stenosis problems stem from degenerative conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. We know that you can conquer your spinal stenosis with proper care. To find that care, call our Mile High Spine & Pain Center today at (720) 507-0080!