Spinal Stenosis Tips used as Teatments and Health Strategies

Spinal Stenosis Tips

Spinal Stenosis is a condition in which your spinal canal starts to narrow which can cause pain and other problems. For most people, the Stenosis results from changes because of arthritis. The spinal canal may narrow. The open spaces between the vertebrae may start to get smaller. The tightness can pinch the spinal cord or the nerves around it, causing pain, tingling, or numbness in your legs, arms, or torso.
Causes of Spinal Stenosis:
  • Arthritis. 
  • Herniated discs. If the cushions are cracked, a material can seep out and press on your spinal cord or nerve
  • Injuries. An accident may fracture or inflame part of your spine.
  • Tumors. If cancerous growths touch the spinal cord, you may get stenosis.
  • Paget’s disease. Bones grow abnormally large and brittle. The result is a narrowing of the spinal canal and nerve problems.
  • Thickened ligaments. The tough cords that help hold the bones of your spine together can become stiff and thickened over time. These thickened ligaments can bulge into the spinal canal.
Symptoms vary depending on the location of the stenosis and which nerves are affected.
In the neck (cervical spine)
  • Numbness or tingling in a hand, arm, foot or leg
  • Weakness in a hand, arm, foot or leg
  • Problems with walking and balance
  • Neck pain
  • In severe cases, bowel or bladder dysfunction (urinary urgency and incontinence)
In the lower back (lumbar spine)
  • Numbness or tingling in a foot or leg
  • Weakness in a foot or leg
  • Pain or cramping in one or both legs when you stand for long periods of time or when you walk, which usually eases when you bend forward or sit
  • Back pain

Examples of surgical procedures to treat spinal stenosis include:

  • Laminectomy. This procedure removes the back part (lamina) of the affected vertebra. it eases the pressure on the nerves by creating more space around them.
  • Laminotomy. This procedure removes only a portion of the lamina, typically carving a hole just big enough to relieve the pressure in a particular spot.
  • Laminoplasty. This procedure is performed only on the vertebrae in the neck (cervical spine). It opens up space within the spinal canal by creating a hinge on the lamina. Metal hardware bridges the gap in the opened section of the spine.
  • Minimally invasive surgery. This approach to surgery removes bone or lamina in a way that reduces the damage to nearby healthy tissue. This results in less need to do fusions.
Alternative medicine
Alternative therapies may be used with conventional treatments to help you cope with spinal stenosis pain. Examples include:
  • Massage therapy
  • Chiropractic treatment
  • Acupuncture

Tips for people with Spinal Stenosis:

Natural methods of treating Spinal Stenosis that don't involve surgery can help manage your symptoms. While these treatments don't change the spinal canal narrowing that has occurred, they can help to ease the pain and other symptoms caused by Spinal Stenosis. Some Spinal Stenosis tips mentioned here can help slow the degeneration that occurs in combination with the narrowing of the spinal canal. Consider the following strategies and treatments for Spinal Stenosis and see which ones might be right for you:

  • Spinal Stenosis tip: Rest when you need to and use support. Initially, some people with Spinal Stenosis find some degree of relief by sitting down or by leaning forward. This gives the nerves more room in the spinal canal and decreases pain and pressure. Lean on a cart when shopping, or take frequent rest breaks to sit down and rest when walking.
  • Spinal Stenosis tip: Try physical therapy. Certain strengthening and stretching exercises often help the symptoms. Massage can also help. You can learn ways to stand that can relieve pressure on your back and take pressure off the nerves. For example, tilting your pelvis forward which flattens the curve in your lower back.
  • Spinal Stenosis tip: Exercise regularly. Flex your body forward, move slowly and avoid jerking, jarring or straining your back. Swimming or riding a stationary bicycle are great forms of exercise for Spinal Stenosis. Avoid exercises like jogging, which jars the spine.
  • Spinal Stenosis tip: Strengthen the core muscles of your back and abdomen. Don't forget your buttocks and thighs. These muscles help you maintain your posture which reduces strain, fatigue, and muscle tension.
  • Spinal Stenosis tip: Functional Disc Re-hydration has worked to relieve the symptoms of people with back pain using compression and traction. This isn't for everyone and care must be used for people with herniated discs and osteoporosis. It's often used with physical therapy to re-hydrate discs that are causing back pain.
  • Spinal Stenosis tip: If you're a smoker, quit as soon as you can. Smoking can speed up the process of disc degeneration.
  • Spinal Stenosis tip: Add an abundance of anti-inflammatory foods to your diet. These include fatty fish such as herring and salmon and consider taking supplements that contain high-quality fish oil. This will ensure your body has plenty of omega-3 fatty acids. Other anti-inflammatory foods include ginger, and curcumin, also sometimes called tumeric. Bromelain, which is found in pineapple, papain, from papayas, nattokinase, from soybeans, and serrapeptase which is a silkworm enzyme, and these are all anti-inflammatories as well.
  • Spinal Stenosis tip: Maintain a normal body weight. This puts less stress on your spine and joints and decreases your risk for other health problems.
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Questions & Answers
Q:
What is the best way to treat permanent back and neck pain and stiffness?
A:
by
Age2B

Here are some tips:

Neck Pain Tips: Sleep with a cervical pillow

Orthopedic or cervical pillows are made with special contours to support the space beneath the neck and head. They are also more concave for the head and provide more support to the neck.

Neck Pain Tips: Sleep on your back

The best position to lie to sleep is on your back. If you sleep on your stomach or on your side, make sure your pillow is not too thick. It should raise your head no more than 4 to 6 inches. This will keep your neck and head from turning to either side.

Neck Pain Tips: Position your computer screen at eye level

While you are working at a computer, sit comfortably in your chair with your computer in front of you. Close your eyes and then open them. When you open your eyes, you should see the middle of the computer screen. If your gaze is not in the middle of the screen, adjust the height of the screen using items like books.

To keep your head from gradually drifting forward, take frequent breaks to stretch. Getting up to walk around at least once every half-hour is one of the best neck pain tips.

Neck Pain Tips: Use a telephone headset

Never hold a phone between your shoulder and your ear. Use a headset or other hands-free system to talk on the phone and avoid abusing your neck and spine.

Neck Pain Tips: Exercise your neck muscles

One of the best neck pain tips is using the chin tuck. You can do this often throughout the day. In addition to helping strengthen the muscles that hold the head in alignment over the shoulders, it also helps strengthen the scalene and sub-occipital muscles.

Read more tips here: Neck Pain Tips: Sleeping, Posture, Exercising, Hydration & Prevention

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Age2B
4 answers
Q:
What is the best treatment for neck pain and shoulder Pain?
A:
by
Age2B

One of the best treatment for neck pain and shoulder pain is exercises:

Neck Pain Exercises: Neck Extension

  1. To begin this neck pain exercise, sit up straight in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Looking straight ahead, tuck your chin slightly (starting position)
  3. Place the palm of your hand on the back of your neck, at the base of your head
  4. Apply slight forward pressure with your hand, while resisting the forward motion of your neck and head
  5. Hold for a count of 5 and return to the starting position and relax
  6. Repeat the neck pain exercises 5-10 times

Neck pain exercises: Side bend

  1. Sit up straight in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Looking straight ahead, tuck your chin slightly (starting position)
  3. Place your left hand, palm down, on the left side of your head (around your ear)
  4. Slightly push your head to the right side with your hand, while resisting the sideways motion of your neck and head
  5. Hold for a count of 5 and return to the starting position and relax.
  6. Repeat 5-10 times
  7. Repeat the neck pain exercises with the other side.

Neck pain exercises: Neck flexion

  1. Sit up straight in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Looking straight ahead, tuck your chin slightly (starting position)
  3. Place the tips of your fingers on your forehead
  4. Slightly push your head backward with your fingers, while resisting the backward motion of your neck and head
  5. Hold for a count of 5 and return to the starting position and relax.
  6. Repeat the neck pain exercises 5-10 times

More exercises here: Neck Pain Exercises

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Age2B
4 answers
Q:
How do I reduce the shoulder and neck pain?
A:
by
Age2B

Here are some tips:

Neck Pain Tips: Sleep with a cervical pillow

Orthopedic or cervical pillows are made with special contours to support the space beneath the neck and head. They are also more concave for the head and provide more support to the neck.

Neck Pain Tips: Sleep on your back

The best position to lie to sleep is on your back. If you sleep on your stomach or on your side, make sure your pillow is not too thick. It should raise your head no more than 4 to 6 inches. This will keep your neck and head from turning to either side.

Neck Pain Tips: Position your computer screen at eye level

While you are working at a computer, sit comfortably in your chair with your computer in front of you. Close your eyes and then open them. When you open your eyes, you should see the middle of the computer screen. If your gaze is not in the middle of the screen, adjust the height of the screen using items like books.

To keep your head from gradually drifting forward, take frequent breaks to stretch. Getting up to walk around at least once every half-hour is one of the best neck pain tips.

Neck Pain Tips: Carry weight evenly

Many people make the mistake of carrying a heavy briefcase or their purse on their shoulder or on one side of their body. Doing this causes strain in the muscles and leads to pain.

Remove non-essentials from your briefcase or purse. Consider using a backpack to evenly distribute the weight across your shoulders. If you choose to carry a purse or backpack, keep your shoulders level while carrying it.

Neck Pain Tips: Maintain a proper posture

The most common posture contributing to neck pain is the “head-and-shoulders-forward” posture. In this position, the neck slopes forward, putting the head in front of the shoulders.

In this position, the head pulls the upper back forward also in a slumped position. This places a strain on the entire spinal column.

More tips here: Neck Pain Tips: Sleeping, Posture, Exercising, Hydration & Prevention

Read more
Age2B
4 answers