You love spending time in your garden and seeing it flourish. You’ve worked hard and long to make it look this good, but lately, you’ve noticed that your hands are uncomfortably tingly and numb, making this pastime more difficult for you. You also experience bouts of discomfort in your neck or back. What may seem like simple back pain could actually be a condition called spinal stenosis. Are you curious to learn more about this? Instead of sifting through the endless Google results, you can get basic information about it here.

WHAT IS SPINAL STENOSIS?

When the spacess in the spinal column become more narrow, spinal stenosis occurs.  When this arises, bone and other spinal tissues put pressure on nerve roots in the spine, and this narrowing of the spine usually heppens in the lower back or neck area and tends to be degenerative.  Most commonly this condition affects individuals over 50 yrs old, it can occur in younger patients due to trauma.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF SPINAL STENOSIS?

For some, spinal stenosis comes with few or even no symptoms at first. Others experience tingling, weakness, or numbness in their arms or legs. Still in other cases, patients can have severe pain in their lower back or neck. It’s important to keep in mind that the symptoms of spinal stenosis generally get worse over time, especially if osteoporosis, herniated discs, and other problems are also involved.

WHAT CAUSES SPINAL STENOSIS?

Although there are those who are born with a narrow spine, most of the time this condition is a result of one of the following:

Spinal Injuries

Vertebrae can become dislocated or fractured, causing damage to the spinal canal in an auto accident.

Herniated Discs

Your vertebrae are cushioned by soft disks, but this tissue can spill over and come into contact with the spinal cord or nerve roots.

Overgrowth of Bone

Especially if you have osteoporosis or a bone disease, the bones around the spine can form spurs, which grow into the spinal canal, with normal wear and tear.

HOW IS SPINAL STENOSIS TREATED?

For extreme cases, surgery may be necessary to correct spinal stenosis. However, for most patients, chiropractic adjustments along with physical therapy can help relieve pain and restore function. Needless to say, it’s worth visiting a chiropractor in San Diego to feel better.

Armed with this information, you are ready to talk to someone about your symptoms. As a result, you can get the treatment you need to address spinal stenosis and make sure it doesn’t hold you back. That way, you can keep gardening and doing what you love for as long as possible.

About the Author

Dr. Blakely is a 1980 graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic, the foremost and most widely recognized college in the field of Chiropractic medicine. Past pursuits in his practice have been in the sports field from treatment of professional rodeo as a team doctor for Wrangler Sports to treatment of Charger, LPGA golfers and surfing athletes.

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