This post is about Chiropractor West Palm Beach: Acupuncture for Spinal Stenosis. Symptoms include neck/back and arm/leg pain. Your pain can be unilateral (one sided) or bilateral (both sided). Moreover, you may complain of the onset of leg complaints with walking and relief after resting 15 to 20 minutes or by maintaining a flexed (bent forward) posture.
According to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “older Americans with chronic low back pain who received acupuncture had greater improvement overall. There was increased physical function and reduced pain with acupuncture. This was in comparison to patients who received usual medical care only (generally prescribed medications or physical therapy)”. The NIH concluded, “there is an urgent need for safe, effective, and non-addictive pain management approaches”. And complementary therapies, including acupuncture is one solution. (3)
If you have Spinal Canal Stenosis with or without Claudication, acupuncture can provide relief! We’ve got some great information to share below.
What is Spinal Canal Stenosis?
Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of spaces in the spine (neck and back bone), which causes pressure on the spinal cord and/or nerves. This pressure can be caused by bony or soft tissue encroachment (intrusion).
Furthermore, stenosis may be central, lateral (mid line or to the side) or at multiple levels in your spine. In other words, the signs and symptoms vary widely depending on where the pressure occurs. For example, for leg complaints to occur, it is usually true that there are multiple levels of stenosis.
The 50 year old and above with leg pain is more likely to have sciatica due to stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal). You may have more difficulty with walking or standing. This is because of the compressive effect created by the loading of the posterior (back of) spine where most of the stenosis occurs. Leg pain from spinal stenosis is called neurogenic claudication. This narrowing of the spinal canal is generally caused by arthritic changes in the lower spine.
Congenital (present from birth) Causes
The vertebrae are a series of small bones forming the spine. Your vertebrae have several projections for articulation and muscle attachment. Additionally, it has a hole (spinal canal) through which the spinal cord passes.
Congenitally a trefoil shape (cloverleaf appearance) spinal canal leads to central canal and lateral stenosis.
Congenital pedicogenic stenosis is due to anatomically short pedicles (bony processes lying on either side of a vertebral body).
Acquired (developed or originating after birth) Stenosis
Acquired stenosis is due to bony outgrowths from osteoarthritis (degenerative wear and tear arthritis). Specifically, it occurs at the pedicles, the facets (small joints located between and behind adjacent vertebrae), and/or the laminae (flattened or arched part of the vertebral arch, forming the roof of the spinal canal).
Degenerative spondylolisthesis is also a cause of acquired spinal canal stenosis. Spondylolisthesis is a condition in which a vertebra (bone) in the spine moves forward out of the proper position onto the bone below it.
Lastly, a hypertrophied and/or calcified ligamentum flavum may cause acquired spinal canal stenosis. The ligamentum flavum is a thick ligament which goes from vertebra to vertebra in the back most part of the spinal canal. It can lose strength and elasticity, causing it to thicken and buckle towards the spinal column. Next this leads to deposition of Ca+2 (calcium) in the ligament. Calcification of the ligament causes hypertrophy (enlargement of an organ/tissue from the increase in size of its cells). And the hypertrophy causes spinal stenosis.
What is Claudication?
Claudication is pain in the legs or arms that occurs while using the arms or legs due to little blood flow to those areas. For instance cramping leg pain that occurs with walking and is relieved with rest is likely a form of claudication in the lumbar (lower back) spine. There is a distinction between vascular and neurogenic claudication.
Neurogenic claudication is secondary (due) to spinal stenosis. In other words, neurogenic claudication is usually caused by spinal stenosis in the lumbar spine (lower back). Compression of nerves and/or the blood supply to nerves causes leg symptoms that are related to exertion. You will often have associated low back pain or radiation into the legs. Imaging such as X-ray or M.R.I. (magnetic resonance image) is utilized for diagnosis of spinal canal stenosis along with your examination.
Vascular claudication involves stenosis (narrowing) of peripheral (vessels away from chest/abdomen) blood vessels compromising the blood supply to muscles. Spinal stenosis is not a cause for vascular claudication. Atherosclerotic blockage is most commonly a cause. Risk factors include smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholestorolemia. Continuous-wave Doppler test is commonly used in diagnosis.
Chiropractor West Palm Beach: Acupuncture for Spinal Stenosis
Firstly, in the conventional treatment of spinal stenosis, the first option is using medications (CMs) such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), muscle relaxants, opioid analgesics, and corticosteroids. However, these have provided limited pain relief. Furthermore, these have been often accompanied by adverse effects. These include dizziness, drowsiness, intoxication, allergic reactions, hepatic and gastrointestinal dysfunctions. Finally, degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS) is a major public health problem and the primary reason why older adults seek lumbar spine surgery.
Secondly, in a 2018 study, it was found acupuncture was a more effective treatment for spinal stenosis than physical therapy and medication. It was the first comparative study of three types of conservative management. These treatments were medication with acetaminophen, exercise, and acupuncture in Japanese patients with lumbar (low back) spinal stenosis. (1)
Thirdly, in another study, electroacupuncture was effective. It was a course of electroacupuncture to the spinal nerve root. And there was sustained improvement. Furthermore, improvement continued even 3 months after treatment. The study stated, “mechanisms of these effects may involve activation of the pain inhibition system and improvement of nerve blood flow”. (2)
Fourthly, in the BackinAction study by the NIH, an investigator stated “Our clinical results suggests that acupuncture is working as well. We found that the size of this effect, while modest, was positive and sustained.” Also, “We saw very little in the way of adverse effects during the clinical trial,” said the investigator. “Older adults often are dealing with other medical problems in addition to back pain. Acupuncture offers a less invasive option that has a better safety profile than a lot of the common treatments for back pain in older adults.” (3)
Chiropractor West Palm Beach: Acupuncture for Spinal Stenosis
Acupuncture has been used for over 4000 years to treat pain and other health problems safely and effectively. The acupuncture treatment stimulates the imbalanced pathways called meridians. This activates the body’s natural healing abilities. Ultimately, this brings balance back to your body. Acupuncture has a beneficial effect when treating many diseases and painful conditions.
Meiri Chiropractic offers acupuncture for spinal stenosis and many other ailments. Dr. Natalie Meiri is a chiropractic physician, board certified in acupuncture with over 20 years of experience. Call 561-253-8984 today.
References: (1) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12906-018-2087-y
(2) www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/acupuncture-treatment-improves-disabling-effects-chronic-low-back-pain-older-adults
(3) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5129088/