Back Pain - Spinal Stenosis
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With age, comes experience, wisdom, and a long list of health complications. No matter how healthy we are, once we hit 60, the ability to ward off every illness in the book becomes less feasible. 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. The narrowing per se does not cause extreme pain, it’s the pressed nerve endings that causes discomfort. People afflicted with lumbar spinal stenosis are likely to experience pain and sometimes numbness in their back and legs. With cervical spinal stenosis, the symptoms are usually more intense. This pain can occur in their arms, legs and even cause imbalance.
Spinal stenosis is a medical condition that attacks people who have weak bone structure that is why this illness is common to older patients. 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 are suffering from painful spinal stenosis, it is recommended that you look at all of your options. Surgery is usually not a popular method, especially with older patients. However, there are plenty of beneficial and non-invasive treatments that could eliminate some of the pain.
Spinal decompression therapy, for example, is one treatment that is pain-free. 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: pain and muscle spasms are reduced and mobility without the discomfort of the pain. In terms of recovery, those with spinal stenosis may only experience partial recovery which means pain is somehow alleviated, unlike those with herniated discs wherein full recovery is achievable. Even still, this makes a world of a difference. Most patients need to undergo 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. Exercise routine that works up your back pain is vital to the healing process. If you are still experiencing pain and discomfort, you may ask your doctor and seek advice on medications. Cortisone shots do temporarily alleviate muscle spasms, but are generally not long lasting treatments. There are a number of options to treat spinal stenosis, it’s up to you to choose which method works for you best. 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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