LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS: What do to?
Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is reportedly
one of the most common spinal conditions in the US, afflicting
more than 500 million people over the age of 62. (1)
As researchers struggle to propose a more systematic approach
to dealing with patient care for lumbar spinal stenosis patients,
your Sitka chiropractor provides gentle, safe, pain
easing treatment. The latest attempt
at a system stressed that each LSS patient is unique in her/his experience
which limits any algorithm to be “soft guidance” as to its treatment
plan based initially on the LSS patient's pain relief with
spinal flexion. (2) Since spinal stenosis is characteristically
a systemic issue, meaning if you have spinal stenosis in
the lumbar spine, you likely have it in other spinal areas like the cervical as
well, you don’t want to overlook it. Further,
lumbar spinal stenosis isn’t a condition that appears and
disappears forever. Its pain can be managed, but its status
as a condition remains one that researchers classify as “chronic,”
meaning it lasts beyond 90 days. Have hope! Your
chiropractor can help with lumbar spinal stenosis relief. One study documented
that flexion distraction significantly decreased pain and
disability for lumbar spinal stenosis patients. (3) Another study noted
that chronic back pain sufferers with moderate to severe symptoms improved most with the chiropractic technique, Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction
Decompression (CTFDD), compared with physical therapy. (4) Those same patients experienced
significantly lower pain scores over the following 12 months than did
patients who underwent physical therapy. (5) LSS patients also experience
altered gait and balance issues. (1,6) CTFDD helps these things,
too! A study regarding the influence of spinal manipulation on
balance issues in LSS patients explained that flexion
distraction spinal manipulation enhanced function, symptoms, and
performance-based mobility in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. (6) We also
anticipate the outcomes of a prospective data collection
study in its second year for follow-up with patients who were treated
with CTFDD for relief of their LSS-related back
pain. Data collection will be done later this year with findings being published in the years to come. Sitka
lumbar spinal stenosis is everywhere, and its relieving partner is your
Sitka chiropractor here at Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka!
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Dean Greenwood on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson
as he explains his alleviating treatment of a spinal
stenosis patient with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain
Management.
TIP OF THE MONTH: Stretch, Strengthen, Walk for LSS
Improvement
As a group of researchers establishes
a new study to see if a 6-week education and exercise
program will enhanced the walking capacity of lumbar spinal
stenosis patients with neurogenic claudication (7), we} suggest walking and exercising
now! Lots of research exhibits
that lumbar spinal stenosis responds to exercise. One study revealed
that individualized exercise (stretches and strengthening) in combination with manual therapy (like out CTFDD spinal manipulation
mobilization!) outperformed medical care and group exercise with greater
symptom and function improvement as well as walking capacity at 2 months of
care. (8) Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka has just the program of stretching, strengthening, and
manipulation for you! We’ll design it together!
CONTACT Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka
We are grateful for all of our patients
here at Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka and look forward to a healthy 2023! Set
your next Sitka chiropractic visit with
Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka now to maximize your spine’s health. See you then!