This post is about Spinal Canal Stenosis and Claudication: A West Palm Beach Chiropractor Can Provide Relief. 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. If you have Spinal Canal Stenosis and Claudication, Chiropractic 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.
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, and 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.
West Palm Beach Chiropractic Treatment for Spinal Canal Stenosis
A detailed examination is necessary to determine the treatment. Subsequently, the type of adjusting techniques to be applied to the various joints must be assessed. In addition to joint manipulation and adjustment to the joints, we use soft tissue procedures, hot and cold modalities, stretching exercises, rehabilitation exercises, and homeopathic consultations.
At Meiri Chiropractic in West Palm Beach we spend the time necessary to examine, diagnose and treat every neuromusculoskeletal condition and various ailments you have. Through regular chiropractic visits, you can get pain relief and improve function. Chiropractic is a holistic and natural way to not only treat existing conditions, but to keep your body in its best working condition. Meiri Chiropractic has been offering effective chiropractic care in Palm Beach county since 2006. Many of our patient reviews note our excellence. Call us today at 561-253-8984 in West Palm Beach to make an appointment or to find out more about Spinal Canal Stenosis and Claudication : A West Palm Beach Chiropractor Can Provide Relief.