What is Back Pain – Spinal Stenosis?
With age, comes experience, wisdom, and a long list of health complications. It’s true that a healthy way of life promotes longevity but as nature takes its toll on our bodies, we become more susceptible to illnesses. As our bones weaken and the probability of accidents increase, back problems such as spinal stenosis turn into a reality for many.
Affecting primarily the lumbar and cervical areas of the spine, spinal stenosis occurs when the spinal canal (which is composed of nerves and the spinal cord itself), begins to compress. While the narrowing itself does not cause extreme pain, the pressed nerve endings inflict discomfort. For those who suffer from lumbar spinal stenosis, they tend to experience pain and/or numbness in their back and legs. Symptoms are usually more intense with cervical spinal stenosis. This pain can occur in their arms, legs and even cause imbalance.
Spinal stenosis targets many older victims, as it is a medical condition that derives from weak bones or illnesses such as osteoarthritis. As we age, the bones begin to lose its calcium component and the cushion that protects the area. As a result, it becomes more difficult to move quickly and walk great distances. While some are born with it, women who are over 50 tend to be primary targets.If you suffer from painful spinal stenosis, it is advisable that you consider all options available to you. Older patients are not likely to go with surgery as an option. However, there are plenty of beneficial and non-invasive treatments that could eliminate some of the pain.
Spinal decompression therapy is one of the pain-free treatments available. It requires the patient to lay on a table hooked up to a harness and receive pressure to their spine. This pressure actually creates a vacuum effect, tugging the discs apart, allowing them to gain flexibility and stretch out. By decompressing this section, essential nutrients and blood supply re-enter allowing the spine to heal. The result allows greater mobility and the likelihood of pain and muscle spasms are minimized. Though people with herniated discs often experience a full recovery, those with spinal stenosis may only feel less pain, given that their bones are already degenerating. Even still, this makes a world of a difference. Most patients have to receive 4-5 sessions per week for a minimum of twenty sessions.
In addition to spinal decompression therapy, those with spinal stenosis can also benefit from exercise. Depending on your flexibility, many would recommend Pilates, Yoga or perhaps a physical therapy driven routine. Exercises that pinpoint your back pain are key to the healing process. If you are still struggling, you may also want to ask your physician about medications. Cortisone shots do temporarily alleviate muscle spasms, but are generally not long lasting treatments. Regardless of what you choose, there are many methods to tackle spinal stenosis. If we could reduce just some of the pain in our lives, living into our 100’s would certainly be a walk in the park.
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