Lumbar spinal stenosis and its related back pain is widespread
and distressing for its sufferers. Dementia, neurogenic
claudication, decreased walking distance, poor balance, reduced
quality of life, and altered posture often attend spinal
stenosis. Disc herniations, disc degeneration, and other spinal canal space intruders
invite spinal stenosis. At Aaron Chiropractic Clinic, Fort Wayne spinal stenosis patients
who want to uninvite spinal stenosis have someone to
help.
THE IMPACT OF LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS
Research keeps presenting lumbar
spinal stenosis as being linked to issues like dementia
development, walking capacity, and reduced quality of life. A new
study stated that lumbar spinal stenosis was an independent risk
factor for acquiring dementia. Of 1220 patients, 10.8% of the
lumbar spinal stenosis patients experienced dementia compared to only 4.4% of the control group members. (1) Older
adults with lumbar spinal stenosis were portrayed as changing
their posture with a forward bend to improve their ability and
tolerance for walking. Researchers who looked into this
phenomenon found that this posture was more of a forward shift of the pelvis during
standing and walking. They concluded
that limited walking in symptomatic spinal stenosis patients was more related to spine loading which increased 7%. (2) Whatever
it is linked to, decreased walking ability is
not good. Someday it will be nice to more fully
understand the role of stenosis
in relationship to slowed walking, but for now,
Aaron Chiropractic Clinic will keep encouraging walking for
spinal stenosis patients, slow and steady and distance increased
as tolerated.
THE TREATMENT OF LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS: Walk
Since spinal stenosis is so common a condition in older
folks, many guidelines and articles are published
and with good reason. Decreased walking ability
and quality of life are documented side-effects of lumbar spinal
stenosis. These two issues remain the main
indicators for back surgery in older sufferers.
Sadly, 40% of those who undergo spinal surgery for the lumbar spinal stenosis still
state walking issues after
surgery. (3) Recommendation 1 of a newer guideline for managing lumbar spinal stenosis and related
neurogenic claudication suggested non-surgical multimodal care
to consist of non-drug therapy with education, advice, lifestyle
changes, home exercise, manual therapy, acupuncture (trial), rehab, and therapy.
(4) An update to the 2013 Cochrane review of research studies regarding
the outcomes of treatments for lumbar spine stenosis related neurogenic
claudication that reduced the ability to walk found
that manual therapy and exercise to improve walking distance
together was a beneficial treatment method.
Epidural steroids weren’t. (5) Conservative, non-surgical care
of Fort Wayne spinal stenosis is endorsed by spine researchers and by
Aaron Chiropractic Clinic.
CONTACT Aaron Chiropractic Clinic
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Nate McKee on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he
describes the relief with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal
Pain Management for a patient with lumbar spinal stenosis and balance issues. Relief with Cox® Technic is described.
Schedule your Fort Wayne chiropractic
appointment now for pain relief of spinal stenosis that can
get you walking (more) again!