Healthy News January 2023

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is seemingly one of the most common spinal conditions in the US, affecting more than 500 million people over the age of 62. (1) As researchers grapple with a more systematic approach to managing patient care for lumbar spinal stenosis sufferers, your Carrolltown chiropractor provides gentle, safe, relieving treatment. The latest attempt at a system emphasized that each LSS patient presents a bit differently which limits any algorithm to be “soft guidance” as to its treatment plan based initially on the LSS patient's pain relief with spinal flexion. (2) Since spinal stenosis is characteristically a systemic issue, which means that if you have spinal stenosis in the lumbar spine, you likely have it in other spinal areas like the cervical as well, you don’t want to ignore it. Further, lumbar spinal stenosis isn’t a condition that appears and disappears forever. Its pain can be managed, but it’s often “chronic,” meaning it lasts beyond 90 days. Have hope! Gormish Chiropractic & Rehabilitation is experienced in ways to help with lumbar spinal stenosis relief. One study reported that flexion distraction significantly lowered pain and disability for lumbar spinal stenosis patients. (3) Another study noted that chronic back pain sufferers with moderate to severe symptoms improved most with the chiropractic technique, Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction Decompression (CTFDD), compared with physical therapy. (4) Those same patients had significantly lower pain scores over the following 12 months than did patients who did physical therapy. (5) LSS patients also experience altered gait and balance concerns. (1,6) CTFDD helps these issues, too! A study about the influence of spinal manipulation on balance problems in LSS patients documented that flexion distraction spinal manipulation improved function, symptoms, and performance-based mobility in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. (6) We also look forward to the outcomes of a prospective data collection study in its second year for follow-up with patients who underwent CTFDD for relief of their LSS-associated back pain. Data collection will be done in late 2023 with results being published in the years to come. Carrolltown lumbar spinal stenosis is everywhere, and its relieving partner is your Carrolltown chiropractor here at Gormish Chiropractic & Rehabilitation!

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Dean Greenwood on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he explains his alleviating treatment of a spinal stenosis patient with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

As a set of researchers starts a new study to analyze if a 6-week education and exercise program will improve the walking capacity of lumbar spinal stenosis patients with neurogenic claudication (7), we} recommend walking and exercising now! Much research exhibits that lumbar spinal stenosis responds to exercise. One study showed that individualized exercise (stretches and strengthening) in combination with manual therapy (like out CTFDD spinal manipulation mobilization!) beat medical care and group exercise with more symptom and function improvement as well as walking capacity at 2 months of care. (8) Gormish Chiropractic & Rehabilitation has just the program of stretching, strengthening, and manipulation for you! We will set it up together!

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We are grateful for all of our patients here at Gormish Chiropractic & Rehabilitation and look forward to a healthy 2023! Make your next Carrolltown chiropractic visit with Gormish Chiropractic & Rehabilitation soon to maximize your spine’s health. See you then!