Peoria IL Chiropractor Spinal Stenosis

We have all heard the phrase with age comes wisdomwhile our Peoria IL Chiropractic Clinic has found this to be true we also have found with age our spines change causing aches, pains, and stiffness. Chiropractors know that a number of problems can change the structure of the spine or damage the vertebrae and surrounding tissue as you age. Normal wear-and-tear effects of aging can lead to narrowing of the spinal canal. This condition is called spinal stenosis. Peoria IL Chiropractor Information Spinal stenosis is an abnormal narrowing (stenosis) of the spinal canal that may occur in any of the regions of the spine. This narrowing causes a restriction to the spinal canal, resulting in a neurological deficit. Symptoms include pain, numbness, paraesthesia, and loss of motor control. The location of the stenosis determines which area of the body is affected. With spinal stenosis, the spinal canal is narrowed at the vertebral canal, which is a foramen between the vertebrae where the spinal cord (in the cervical or thoracic spine) or nerve roots (in the lumbar spine) pass through. There are several types of spinal stenosis: lumbar stenosis and cervical stenosis being the most frequent. While lumbar spinal stenosis is more common, cervical spinal stenosis is more dangerous because it involves compression of the spinal cord whereas the lumbar spinal stenosis involves compression of the cauda equina. If you have been diagnosed with spinal stenosis, you are probably wondering what you can do. Although there is no cure for spinal stenosis, our Peoria IL Chiropractor Clinic recommends regular exercise, chiropractic care, and medication as a means of providing relief. Exercise. Regular exercise can help you build and maintain strength in the muscles of your arms and upper legs (the hip adductors and abductors, quadriceps and hamstrings). This will improve your balance, ability to walk, bend and move about, as well as control pain. A physical therapist can show you which exercises are right for you. Medications. Over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen or naproxen may also relieve pain. In addition, a rheumatologist may prescribe other medications to help with pain and/or muscle spasm. Cortisone injections. Injections directly into the area around the spinal cord (known as epidural injections) may provide a great deal of temporary, sometimes permanent, relief. These injections are usually given on an outpatient basis in a hospital or clinic setting.