Spinal stenosis

Are you experiencing any of the following Spinal Stenosis symptoms?

1. Back Pain
2. Neck Pain
3. Arm Pain
4. Leg Pain
5. Increased pain with standing or walking
6. Numbness, weakness or cramping in the legs or arms.

What is Spinal Stenosis?

Spinal Stenosis, sometimes called Central Spinal Canal Stenosis or Peripheral Canal Stenosis, occurs when the spaces inside the spinal column are narrowed. This can put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves that travel through the spine. Spinal Stenosis most often occurs in the lower back(Lumbar)and neck (Cervical). The most common causes of Spinal Stenosis are often age-related, caused by the degradation of spinal discs and joint spaces (arthritis).

Spinal Stenosis is a slow progressive disease due to its degenerative nature. Spinal Stenosis in the lower back is identified by pain either in the back or legs with a cramping-type feeling in one or both legs after extended periods of standing, which can be relieved by sitting, leaning forward, or resting. For spinal stenosis in the neck, patients may experience numbness, tingling or weakness in an arm, hand, leg, or foot and issues with balance or walking.

It has been projected that by 2025, 6 out of 10 adults over 65 will likely be diagnosed with spinal stenosis. Furthermore, research has said that 61.4% of patients with a previous diagnosis of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis are likely to have asymptomatic Cervical Spinal Stenosis in tandem.

What are the causes of Spinal Stenosis? 

When it comes to spinal stenosis, the most common cause is osteoarthritis from the wear and tear to your joints over time as you age. Osteoarthritis begins to change most people’s spine by about age 50 which may lead to spinal stenosis. 

There are some other causes of spinal stenosis though, some of the other conditions or causes of spinal stenosis include: 

• Disc protrusion, prolapse or herniation
• Narrow spinal canal
• Spinal injury
• Spinal tumour (this cause is quite rare) 
• Bone diseases 
• History of spinal problems 
• History of spinal surgery 
• Rheumatoid arthritis 

How do Chiropractors treat Spinal Stenosis?

Our Spinal Stenosis treatment by the Cox® Certified Chiropractors at Malvern Chiropractic Clinic and Melbourne Spine Clinic uses Cox© Flexion-Distraction and Spinal Decompression therapy, a gentle, effective, low force and non-surgical spinal decompression therapy, which has been shown to treat the pain and discomfort caused by Spinal Stenosis.

While Spinal Stenosis cannot be “cured,” the Cox® Certified Chiropractors at Malvern Chiropractic Clinic and Melbourne Spine Clinic can provide spinal stenosis treatment and management of symptoms.  Realistically, an outcome of a 50% reduction in pain may be achieved, allowing patients to enjoy their daily lives. The ability to participate in the activities of daily living is the desired effect of any treatment for Spinal Stenosis.

Cox® Flexion-Distraction and Spinal Decompression is spinal manipulation. The American Pain Society and the American College of Physicians recommend spinal manipulation as primary care for low back pain (1), of which spinal stenosis is a common cause.

What the science says – spinal stenosis treatment outcomes achieved using Cox® Flexion- Distraction:

1. Drop the intradiscal pressure to as low as -192mmHg, removing discal compartment pressure on the pain-sensitive structures.
2. Increases disc height space by 17%
3. Increase the nerve opening spaces through which the spinal nerves pass from the spinal cord to the body by up to 28%.
4. Restore normal range of motion to the joints of the spine.
5. Increase sensation from the body back to the brain (afferentation). This can provide a sedating and relieving effect on nerve conduction with considerable pain-relieving outcomes.

Achieving these outcomes will improve the wellness of patients suffering from Spinal Stenosis.

In the clinic, patients report relief of their spinal stenosis pain with Cox® Technic protocols. This is also demonstrated in the research:

• Cox® Technic provided significant relief of subjective, patient-reported pain and objective, doctor-recorded tests for a 60-year-old male patient with Spinal Stenosis in his cervical spine, which also caused arm pain(2).
• Relief of Spinal Stenosis pain in a 78-year-old man with low back pain and leg pain due to multi-level spinal stenosis is reported and is maintained at a 5-month follow-up appointment(3).
• Twelve visits of Flexion-Distraction care provide relief to a 76-year-old male with lumbar spinal stenosis(4).
• Fifteen visits of flexion-distraction over ten weeks provide relief to a 33-year-old male with severe neck pain and arm pain due to spinal stenosis(5).

To see a demonstration of Cox® Technic, please click here.

At Malvern Chiropractic Clinic and Melbourne Spine Clinic, our Chiropractors utilise the most up-to-date research and clinical data to diagnose and treat patients. Our Certified Cox® Flexion-Distraction and Spinal Decompression Chiropractors treat all spinal pain conditions with safe, gentle, non-surgical, doctor-controlled spinal decompression therapy. Cox® Flexion-Distractions is a recognised alternative to spinal surgery.

Click here to complete a Contact Us form to email one of our back pain experts and find out if we can assist with your condition.

Additional information and references are available by clicking coxtechnic.com.

 

REFERENCES:

(1)   Chou R et al.: Interventional Therapies, Surgery, and Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation for Low Back Pain An Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline From the American Pain Society.  SPINE 2009; 34 (10).

(2)   Kruse RA, Gregerson D: Cervical Spinal stenosis resulting in radiculopathy treated with flexion-distraction manipulation: A case study. J of  the Neuromusculoskeletal System  2002;10(4):141-7 

(3)   Snow G: Chiropractic management of a patient with lumbar spinal stenosis. JMPT 2001; 24(4): 300-304

(4)   DuPriest CM:  Nonoperative management of lumbar spinal stenosis. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1993;16(6):411-4

(5)   Gudavalli S, Kruse R: Foraminal stenosis with radiculopathy from a cervical disc herniation in a 33-year-old man treated with flexion-distraction decompression manipulation. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2008; 31(5):376-380