Spinal stenosis has become a catch phrase that it seems people use to refer to ALL back problems. Stenosis just means a narrowing of a space. In this case, the spine. The spine consists of consecutive bones called vertebrae that have a space gapper in between every bone. This is the disc. You may have heard of terms, herniated disc, slipped disc, bulging disc, etc. These terms sometimes are used interchangeably (incorrectly), but when you have a disc derangement, inevitably you will develop spinal stenosis. The amount varies, but when you combine a disc bulge with arthritis in the spine and other abnormal pathology, pinching of the nerve may occur. When someone has spinal stenosis, the whole where the nerve exits the spine gets narrow and puts pressure on the nerve. This can cause people to experience many different types of symptoms like numbness and tingling in the arms and legs, pain, not only locally in the back, but radiating pain to different areas of the body. Depending on the severity of the condition, people may have muscle weakness and muscle shrinking. Oftentimes spinal stenosis can be treated successfully with chiropractic treatment. The goal is to remove the pressure from the nerve and then preserve the integrity of the spine so that the symptoms don’t come back, or if they do, the symptoms are minor, and intervention will be small.
If you are near the Elmhurst Illinois area or surrounding areas like Melrose Park, Bensenville, Lombard, Villa Park, Oak Brook, Berkeley, Northlake and are experiencing low back pain, neck pain, numbness and tingling in the arms or legs, headaches, pain or have been told you have spinal stenosis, you need to call us for an appointment. Remember, most episodes of spinal stenosis are not surgical candidates and conservative measures should be employed first. Before you call Auto Accident Pain Relief Center of Illinois to schedule an appointment at 800-862-5914, 24/7, make sure you have any x-rays or especially MRI’s of your spine ready!
