Interesting Facts About Spinal Stenosis in Vacaville

In the United States alone, more than 200,000 new cases of spinal stenosis are diagnosed every year and it is common in adults over the age of 50. Even though this progressive condition can cause a variety of uncomfortable symptoms, you can still find lasting relief with the right treatment in Vacaville.

Spinal stenosis is a condition that results from the narrowing of your spinal canals. As you age, there will be degenerative changes to your spine particularly in the space at the center of the spine, the nerve canals that branch out from the spine, or the space between the bones of the spine.

For you to further understand what spinal stenosis is, read a few of these interesting facts about it:

Spinal stenosis is usually age-related in Vacaville

There are some people who are born with a smaller spinal canal that can make them experience spinal stenosis at a young age. But it commonly occurs as a result of the normal wear-and-tear that comes with aging.

Your spine is strong and flexible because it is built to help you stand up straight and move with ease. Over the years, the constant support and stability will eventually take a toll, thereby causing some parts of your spinal column to break down.

Even if you are healthy, the aging process can cause you to have misaligned vertebrae, deteriorated spinal discs, or thickened spinal ligaments. These degenerative changes can make your spinal canal become progressively narrower until it starts impinging nearby nerve roots and cause pan.

People become more prone to spinal stenosis especially if they have conditions like osteoporosis or degenerative joint disease. The reason is that the inflammation, breakdown of cartilage, and development of bone spurs due to osteoarthritis can make the space within the spinal canal narrower over time.

Spinal stenosis affects the neck or lower back

Spinal stenosis can happen anywhere along your spine, but it usually develops in the cervical spine (neck) or lumbar spine (lower back). There are areas that are more prone to degeneration because they bear more weight compared to the other parts of the spine. Your cervical spine supports the weight of your head, while the lumbar spine supports your upper body weight.

Lumbar stenosis is the most common form, and it can cause chronic lower back pain and even cramping or pain in one or both legs after standing on your feet for a while. Numbness, tingling, and weakness in a leg or foot can also happen when you have lumbar stenosis.

Cervical stenosis can cause chronic neck pain, but it can also cause other symptoms like numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arm, hand, leg, or foot. As it progresses, you will have difficulties in walking and maintaining your balance.

Spinal stenosis isn't always painful

The aging process of the body undergoes a certain degree of degenerative change, virtually all older adults experience a narrowing within their spine.

Even though mild to moderate stenotic changes are normal among men and women who are beyond middle age, this condition is rarely painful or even symptomatic. In fact, you may have been living with spinal stenosis without you knowing it.

The condition can become problematic when the narrowing starts compressing a nearby nerve root, causing localized or radiating numbness, pain, or muscle weakness in the extremities.

Spinal stenosis can't be cured, but it can be managed

Most people only realize that they have spinal stenosis when persistent symptoms made them visit their doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan for pain relief. Though this is classified as a chronic condition that can't be cured, it can be successfully managed using the right strategies.

At Absolute Integrative Physical Medicine in Vacaville, CA, we offer a comprehensive approach like spinal decompression to release tension and restore space. Apart from that, we also incorporate targeted physical therapy to improve balance, flexibility, mobility, and strength, as well as nutrition therapy to promote optimal healing at the cellular level. So, just call us at (707) 474-5688 to schedule an appointment with our clinic today!