Chiropractic care at Intouch Chiropractic is a non-invasive, all-natural treatment option for alleviating spinal stenosis in San Diego. If you’re suffering from spinal stenosis in your low back, mid back, or neck, consider NUCCA chiropractic care at Intouch Chiropractic as a safe treatment option. Our goal is to not only make sure you get relief now, but also to help you optimize your overall health and vitality far into the future. Stenosis often accompanies other symptoms that respond well to chiropractic care, such as back pain, neck pain, and joint stiffness. Our upper cervical chiropractors focus on body balance and helping patients manage all their symptoms, treating the root causes to provide lasting relief.
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Treating Spinal Stenosis
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RELIEF FROM
Spinal Stenosis
There is no cure for spinal stenosis, but many San Diego patients get pain relief with the Intouch Chiropractic team’s gentle, non-surgical approach. Our spinal experts take a thorough health history, analyze any previously taken radiographs and MRI images, and determine if you are a candidate for our enhanced spinal care program. Many patients experience improved spinal flexibility and decreased pain. We successfully treat many patients with our unique combination of state-of-the-art spinal decompression technology (DRX9000) and NUCCA Spinal Care.
It is important to keep in mind that patients with advanced stenosis may require surgery if the spinal cord is compromised. Arthritis of the spine is progressive, even after surgery, and it is not uncommon to develop new symptoms years after surgery, either at the same level or at nearby levels requiring a second or third surgery. Maintaining your spine after you have been diagnosed will require time and effort on your part to stay healthy – and we are prepared to help with that as well.
Get Answers About Spinal Stenosis Pain
Central canal stenosis is a narrowing of the canal that houses the spinal cord. Doctors call narrowing of the canal in the low back lumbar spinal stenosis. They call narrowing in the neck cervical spinal stenosis. If you have received any of these spinal stenosis diagnoses, the doctors at Intouch Chiropractic are prepared to provide expert, gentle treatment for spinal stenosis in San Diego.
In essence, the spinal canal is a hole down the center of your spinal column. Your spinal cord floats in cerebrospinal fluid and lives in this space. Your spinal cord is a key part of your central nervous system, responsible for sending messages to and from your brain. The average central canal size is 14 mm wide. However, the spinal cord and soft tissue occupy approximately 10 mm of the canal. Stenosis often accompanies lower back pain, neck pain, and sciatica, and doctors diagnose it with advanced imaging.
The Causes of
Spinal Stenosis
This spinal narrowing can irritate the spinal cord itself or the nerve roots as they exit the spinal cord. As stenosis progresses, it compresses or squeezes your spinal cord and its nerves. The most common cause of spinal stenosis is the aging process, and doctors most often find it in patients over 50.
When spinal stenosis occurs in the neck, doctors call it cervical spinal stenosis. When it occurs in the lower back, they call it lumbar spinal stenosis. The most common symptoms are pain, numbness, or muscle weakness in the legs, feet, or buttocks.
As we get older, our spinal bones may develop arthritis, ligaments that connect the vertebra may buckle and/or intervertebral discs may bulge or herniate. All of these degenerative changes can lead to spinal stenosis, which causes the space within the spinal canal to narrow. Spinal stenosis can occur at any level of the spine; however, it is more common in the lumbar spine and the cervical spine.
Some of the factors that cause spinal stenosis are:
- Degeneration of tissues
- Excessive bone growth (arthritis)
- Thickening of tissue in the canal (such as ligaments or cartilage)
- Herniated disc
- Genetics (naturally narrow canal)
- Sedentary lifestyle
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Neuroforaminal Stenosis and the Peripheral Nervous System
Spinal nerves exit the spine through openings on both the right and left sides of your spinal column through intervertebral foramina. Spinal nerves exit the foramen (opening) and travel to all areas of your body. Doctors call narrowing of these openings neuroforaminal stenosis. This type of stenosis impacts the peripheral nervous system.
The peripheral nervous system consists of the nerves that branch off from the spinal cord. We have 31 pairs of spinal nerves: 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 1 coccygeal. One exits to the right, while another spinal nerve exits to the left at each level. Each pair exits the spinal cord and travels to and innervates a specific area of your body. Very close to the spinal cord, each spinal nerve splits into two nerve roots. The dorsal nerve root enters the spinal cord and consists of sensory fibers. The ventral nerve root leaves the spinal cord and consists of motor fibers.
Peripheral nerves communicate with the central nervous system by detecting and relaying messages relating to temperature changes, sensation, muscle function, pain, joint, and body position, to name a few. The peripheral nervous system and central nervous system connect intimately, and spinal stenosis can affect either one. For assistance with spinal stenosis in San Diego, please contact us.
Learn More About the Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis can affect any part of your spine, but in some cases, it can be 100% asymptomatic. Most patients that experience symptoms report the following:
- Spinal Stiffness – Especially in the morning
- Numbness – Into the arms or legs
- Pain – Usually in the low back or neck
- Sciatica – Shooting pain down the leg
- Foot Drop – Painful leg weakness that causes loss of control of your foot
- Difficulty Standing
- Difficulty Walking
- Neurogenic claudication – Cramping associated with prolonged walking or standing
- Loss of Bladder or Bowel Control – If you experience this extreme symptom, you must go to the emergency room immediately for treatment.
How Ed Overcame Back and Sciatica Pain
Common Questions
Spinal Stenosis FAQs
Have More Questions? Visit Our Full FAQ Page.
What Is Spinal Stenosis?
Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal that can put pressure on your spinal cord or the nerve roots branching off it. It most often occurs in the lower back (lumbar stenosis) or neck (cervical stenosis), and narrowing of the small openings where nerves exit the spine is called neuroforaminal stenosis.
What Causes Spinal Stenosis?
Spinal stenosis is most often caused by the natural aging process, especially in patients over 50. Contributing factors include arthritis and bone spurs, thickened ligaments, herniated discs, a naturally narrow canal from genetics, and a sedentary lifestyle.
What Are the Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis?
Spinal stenosis can sometimes cause no symptoms at all. When it does, common signs include stiffness (especially in the morning), numbness in the arms or legs, low back or neck pain, sciatica, difficulty standing or walking, and cramping that worsens with prolonged walking or standing.
Does Spinal Stenosis Always Require Surgery?
No. Most people with spinal stenosis manage their symptoms without surgery. While there's no cure, many patients find meaningful pain relief and improved flexibility with conservative, non-surgical care. Surgery is generally reserved for advanced cases where the spinal cord itself is compromised.
Can a Chiropractor Help With Spinal Stenosis?
Yes. At Intouch Chiropractic, we combine DRX9000 spinal decompression to relieve pressure within the narrowed canal, Class IV laser therapy and shockwave therapy to ease inflammation and pain, and NUCCA Upper Cervical Care to support lasting spinal health and flexibility.
When Should I Seek Emergency Care for Spinal Stenosis?
Seek emergency care immediately if you experience loss of bladder or bowel control, or sudden new weakness or numbness in your legs. These rare but serious symptoms can signal severe nerve compression and require urgent medical evaluation right away, not chiropractic care.