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Spinal stenosis is a common condition in older adults that causes lots of discomfort and hinders daily activities. In this post, we will explore the benefits of chiropractic care in managing spinal stenosis and enhancing your overall well-being.
Understanding spinal stenosis
Spinal stenosis is a gradual narrowing of the spinal canal. The narrowing most often occurs in the low back resulting from degenerative changes in the tissues of the spine from conditions like degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis. So these degenerative tissues can compress or pinch the spinal cord, nerves, and blood vessels in that area. As a result of this pinching, difficulties with walking, low back pain, and pain or numbness in the legs can occur. Early diagnosis is crucial, and at our clinic we emphasize the importance of recognizing symptoms and seeking timely intervention. This condition, if left untreated, can lead to significant limitations in daily activities.
Chiropractic approaches to spinal stenosis
Our approach involves a holistic view, complementing traditional medical treatments. Chiropractic adjustments play a key role, addressing spinal misalignments and relieving nerve pressure in the spine. With individualized treatment plans, we focus on your unique needs to optimize results.
Benefits of chiropractic for spinal stenosis
The benefits of chiropractic care extend beyond pain relief. The spinal adjustments we provide can improve your mobility, alignment, strength, and endurance. In turn, this helps manage pain more effectively. (1, 2) Most importantly, chiropractic can help you return to the activities you enjoy or at least help you to carry on with regular daily activities with less discomfort. Unlike invasive procedures, chiropractic care aims to address the root causes of spinal stenosis, fostering long-term wellness rather than merely masking symptoms.
In saying this, to help speed up your recovery, it’s necessary to participate in your care with your health care provider. First, this means coming to your appointments for the recommend frequency and duration of your treatment plan. Second, this means changing your lifestyle to help you heal better. And finally, it means continuing daily activities, within reason, even if you experience some pain.
Lifestyle changes and maintenance
Beyond the confines of clinic sessions, the integration of lifestyle changes is pivotal to manage spinal stenosis. Chiropractic care for spinal stenosis isn’t just about passive spinal adjustments. As I mentioned above, working with a chiropractor is also about you being an active participant in your care and changing your lifestyle. A few of the below lifestyle changes contribute significantly to maintaining spinal health, providing individuals with the tools to actively participate in their well-being. We empower our patients with strategies to proactively prevent or at least slow down the progression of spinal stenosis, championing long-term health and resilience.
Exercises for spinal stenosis
Regular movement and exercise is key to maintaining the health of your spine and nervous system. Although, we promote general exercise as a way to keep your spine and nervous system healthy sometimes it’s necessary to focus on specific exercises. In these cases, we guide our patients through simple yet effective exercises and stretches, combined with ergonomic adjustments in daily activities.
Nutrition and supplementation for spinal stenosis
Proper nutrition and supplementation are paramount to help repair damaged tissue in the spine and lower inflammation. Chiropractors are well trained in clinical nutrition and can help provide resources to you on how to eat healthier and supplement properly. For example, eating real food (plants and animals) and packaged food is a simple way to start to eating healthier. As well, supplements like glucosamine sulphate, curcumin, and omega-3 fatty acids can help as well. To dive deeper into this subject matter click on the below posts:
Anti-inflammatory Diet to Solve Your Low Back Pain
Foods that Cause Inflammation: 3 Food Toxins You Should Avoid
Glucosamine Sulphate for Osteoarthritis
Improve your sleep to heal better
Sleep deprivation can cause chronic pain. In particular, sleep deprivation leads to nerve sensitivity, increased inflammation, and poor tissue repair. Ultimately, if your body is exposed to these elements chronic pain will follow. Personally, I have been learning to solve my sleep problems for years. Here are some tips I hope will help you: Tips on How to Sleep Better
Managing stress
Prolonged mental stress leads to nerve and muscle tension as well as an increase in inflammation (swelling) in the body. This can lead to chronic low back pain or chronic pain in other areas of the body. Practicing stress management techniques like mindfulness and meditation can help reduce physical pain. Click here to get some ideas on how to manage stress.
When chiropractic doesn’t work for spinal stenosis
Spinal stenosis can be extremely frustrating to deal with both from the patient’s point of view and the chiropractor’s point of view. Sometimes it’s necessary to surrender and look at different options. For example, if you do have spinal stenosis it may be necessary for you to seek a surgical consultation while you are undergoing initial conservative therapy like chiropractic care. Further, although still early in its’ development, there are promising results with stem cell therapy and spinal stenosis. (3) In fact, I am witness to three of my patients getting stem therapy for spinal stenosis with success.
Other options to manage spinal stenosis include acupuncture, physiotherapy, and medications. And sometimes a review of your current medications by your pharmacist may be necessary to determine if your medications are contributing to your pain and you inability to heal
Conclusion
In conclusion, chiropractic for spinal stenosis isn’t just about alleviating pain; it’s about enhancing your overall quality of life. I encourage you to explore the benefits of chiropractic care. Find a chiropractor near you and take charge of your spinal health…embark on a journey to a more comfortable and active life together.
If you’re in the Edmonton area and are struggling with spinal stenosis contact Dr. Dean Collins for a thorough consult and exam to see if he can help you or click the book appointment below to schedule an appointment.
For more information on how chiropractic care care could help you and your family read Dr. Collins’ comprehensive guide to chiropractic care: Chiropractic care for Everyone
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