Did you know spinal stenosis is one the most common causes of back or neck pain in people over age 60? Stenosis simply means narrowing. This narrowing occurs in the spinal canal where the spinal cord runs or into the canals where the nerves exit between each vertebra. The most common culprits are bulging or herniated discs, degenerated discs, or arthritis in what are called the facet joints of the spine.
If this process advances far enough, it begins to compromise the areas where the nerves come through these canals. This can create not only pain in the spine but can also affect the arms or legs. Walking can become difficult as well as standing for any length of time. That is the bad news.
The good news is there are non-drug and non-surgical treatment options to help. In our clinic, we treat stenosis with spinal decompression therapy. The main reason is because decompression creates more room for the nerves that are getting compressed. When we reduce the size of a disc bulge or herniation, we create more room. When we increase the height of the disc, we create more room. This is precisely what needs to happen for spinal stenosis. While stenosis cannot always be 100% alleviated, most patients can expect to see at least 50% or greater relief of their symptoms.
Just think how different life would be if half of your pain was gone. It would be a real game changer. In most instances, we see even greater relief than this. We have had many patients in some way say it feels like they have their life back. What would it do for your life if you could stand or walk longer? If you could keep up with your grandchildren better? Spinal decompression therapy offers real hope for meaningful improvement.