Spinal stenosis is a health condition that affects the abnormal narrowing of your spinal canal. Dealing with this health issue can be painful and scary, and may include pain, numbness or weakness. While dealing with spinal stenosis is difficult, there are treatments that can help! And that includes non-surgical spinal stenosis treatments.
If you are wondering if you have spinal stenosis or are curious about treatments for it, you’re in the right place. In this blog post, we’ll answer the basic question of “what is spinal stenosis”, and discuss treatment options that include non-surgical interventions.
First, let’s give an overview of what spinal stenosis actually is.
So, What is Spinal Stenosis?
Spinal stenosis relates to an abnormal narrowing of the spinal canal. This narrowing directly impacts the amount of space in your spinal cord and can occur in any part of the spine. It is most common in the cervical spine and the lumbar spine.
The decreasing amount of space in the spinal cord as a result of spinal stenosis means that nerve roots, nerves and even your spinal cord can be compressed or squeezed. Patients we see at Intouch Chiropractic in San Diego, California report feeling numbness, pain and weakness as the major symptoms of their spinal stenosis.
Spinal stenosis is often associated with aging, and in older patients it can greatly reduce mobility and quality of life.
However, there are effective treatments for spinal stenosis. Surgery is one treatment that people suffering from this health issue opt for, but we only recommend surgery as a last resort. Before we get into the treatments available for spinal stenosis though, let’s quickly cover the causes of spinal stenosis.
Cause of Spinal Stenosis
The primary cause of spinal stenosis is osteoarthritis (OA). In other words, the cause of spinal stenosis is not a single disease, but, a variety of disorders, mostly leading to the structural or functional failure of one or more of your joints. Spinal stenosis as a result of osteoarthritis involves the entire joint, including adjacent muscles, underlying bone, ligaments, joint lining (synovium), and the joint capsule.
Next, let’s dive into the treatment options available for individuals who are suffering from spinal stenosis.
Spinal Stenosis Treatments:
It should be noted that there is no way to fully cure spinal stenosis. But there are ways to treat it and techniques that can be used to reduce spinal stenosis symptoms. Here are some of the most common forms of treatment:
- Over-the-counter pain medications
- Hot/cold therapy
- Anti-inflammatory medications, including oral cortisone medications
- Epidural steroid (cortisone) injections
- Physical therapy
- Chiropractic care
- Along with Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression
- Lastly, Surgery
As always, we recommend that a patient seek all forms of care and treatment prior to surgery. However, there are cases where surgery for spinal stenosis is necessary. For example, if the spinal cord is compromised, surgery may be the necessary treatment.
Now, let’s dive deeper into three treatment options for spinal stenosis. To start, let’s cover one of the non-surgical treatments we recommend exploring before moving onto invasive surgery.
Dr. Jeanett Tapia works with a patient suffering from spinal stenosis at the Intouch Chiropractic office
Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression for Spinal Stenosis
One of the most successful and least invasive spinal stenosis treatments is one we use at Intouch Chiropractic in San Diego: non-surgical spinal decompression. Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression (NSSD) slowly relaxes and stretches your spine. Meanwhile, it removes the downward forces of gravity and creates a vacuum effect that allows oxygen and nutrients to flow back into your discs.
This FDA-cleared procedure is gentle, effective and painless. Also, it is highly effective when done safely within established protocols. Spinal Decompression treatment provides powerful chronic lower back pain relief and amplifies the healing process when treating issues such as spinal stenosis. Our patients have often found relief after failing other treatments.
Our office has a great track record for helping our patients get out of pain. Along with using a dual, revolutionary approach; we combine the most advanced technology and gentle, upper cervical chiropractic techniques (NUCCA) to help you get better faster.
Learn more about how we treat spinal stenosis at Intouch Chiropractic at our website.
Can you fix spinal stenosis without surgery?
Non-surgical interventions can not 100% cure spinal stenosis. The anatomical cause of this health issue will remain. However, unless you are suffering from a severe case of spinal stenosis, non-surgical treatments may be enough for you to manage and alleviate pain. We always recommend investigating whether or not your case is suitable for non-surgical spinal stenosis treatment. But in severe cases, surgery may be required.
Next, let’s quickly cover spinal stenosis surgery and what to expect.
Low Back Surgery for Spinal Stenosis
Patients with increasing muscle weakness and severe spinal cord compression, aka myelopathy, should consider surgery to help prevent permanent nerve damage. If you are suffering from lumbar spinal stenosis, this is what you’ll be researching more.
The goal of surgery is to physically create more space and relieve compression of the spinal cord and its nerves. One of the surgical options available is surgical decompression. This surgery removes bone and/or tissues.
In the lumbar spine, the most common surgical decompression procedure is a laminectomy. This surgery removes a portion of your bone, (the lamina) to create additional space for the cord and its nerves. However, if too much bone needs to be removed, a spinal fusion is needed to stabilize your spine.
Neck Surgery for Spinal Stenosis
The most common spinal stenosis surgery is an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Firstly, the spinal disc gets removed between two vertebrae. In addition, any bone spurs pushing on the nerves or spinal cord are also be removed. Then a bone graft will replace the disc. A metal plate will attach to the front of your vertebrae to help the bone grow together or fuse. After the bone(s) is removed, a bone graft replaces them along with a plate.
Cervical spinal stenosis is treated surgically from the back of the neck. Similarly to the lumbar spine, a laminectomy will need to be performed. This procedure fuses one cervical vertebra to an adjacent cervical vertebra. This procedure prevents abnormal movement or instability. In addition, Laminoplasty can also be a surgical option for cervical stenosis. This neck surgery involves creating more space in the back of the spinal canal by opening the back of the spine like a door, and leaving it open with a combination of bone grafts or plates.
However, in severe cases, prolonged compression of the nerves can cause permanent nerve damage that not even surgery can reverse. Therefore, something to keep in mind is that back surgery is invasive. Also, specific post-operative management is crucial for long-term success.
“Very pleased with my results after 10 weeks of treatment. Personable, attentive and welcoming staff & docs! Would highly recommend.” – Intouch Chiropractic Review by Ality R.
What Is the Prognosis for Spinal Stenosis After Treatment?
Many patients get relief of their spinal stenosis symptoms with non-surgical treatment. Although, every case is different. For patients with advanced stenosis, surgery may be the only option. Therefore, one thing to keep in mind is that arthritis of the spine is progressive even after surgery. As a result, it is not uncommon to develop new symptoms years after surgery. These symptoms can show up either at the same level or at nearby levels requiring a second or third surgery.
If you are suffering from spinal stenosis and would like to explore the benefits chiropractic care can have on your health, contact us today!
Call our office today at (619) 756-7510 or request an appointment here.
