Cause Of Spinal Stenosis

Integrative Way: Managing chronic back pain

Chronic neck and back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical care in the United States.

It accounts for a large percentage of health care dollars - in 2005, we spent close to $90 billion on medical procedures, imaging studies, and medications for neck and back pain, up from $52 billion in 1997.

In spite of all of these interventions, the percentage of people with neck and back pain continues to escalate in the United States, and the cost of care per person also continues to rise. Given that data, plus the current problem of shrinking health care dollars, it behooves us to keep looking for other ways to treat and manage chronic pain.

Massage therapy holds promise as an alternative treatment for low back pain. In fact, a review in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2003 suggested that massage therapy was superior to both chiropractic manipulation and acupuncture in relieving pain for people with persistent nonspecific back pain (back pain that was not due to a disc rupture, spinal stenosis or similar cause). Massage therapy also was felt to reduce the overall cost of care. However, there are many forms of massage treatment, and it has not been clear which type is most beneficial for people with chronic low back pain.

A new study in the Annals of Internal Medicine sheds some light on this.

In this study, sponsored by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, researchers randomized 401 patients with nonspecific low back pain to one of three treatments: structural massage therapy, relaxation massage therapy, or standard care (placebo).

Relaxation massage, a standard technique taught in massage therapy schools, helps to relax the tense muscles that contribute to pain. Structural massage uses a more specific approach to release tension in the structures of the musculoskeletal system: the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Structural massage requires additional training and may be more expensive than relaxation massage.

The researchers speculated that the patients receiving the structural massage would have greater pain relief than those getting the simpler massage.

Each of the massage groups received a weekly one-hour massage for 10 weeks; the placebo group received usual care for people with back pain, including pain medications, muscle relaxers, and physical therapy.

After 10 weeks, both massage groups noted a significant reduction in pain as well as an improvement in their daily functioning; there was no significant difference between the two types of massage therapy. The improvement in function seemed to last at least six months, but benefits after one year were questionable.

Lumbar Spinal Canal Stenosis Treatment In India At Affordable Low ...

Stenosis means closing in. Spinal stenosis describes a condition in which the nerves in the spinal canal are closed in, or compressed. The spinal canal is the hollow tube formed by the bones of the spinal column. Anything that causes this bony tube to shrink can squeeze the nerves inside…

Vertebrae and Spinal Column : – The human spine is made up of 24 spinal bones, called vertebrae. Vertebrae are stacked on top of one another to create the spinal column. The spinal column gives the body its form. It is the body’s main upright support…

Spinal Canal and Spinal Cord : – The back portion of the spinal column forms a bony ring. When the vertebrae are stacked on top of each other, these bony rings create a hollow tube. This bony tube, called the spinal canal, surrounds the spinal cord as it passes through the spine…

Intervertebral Disc : – An intervertebral disc fits between each vertebral body and provides a space between the spine bones. The disc normally works like a shock absorber..

In the lumbar spine, the spinal canal usually has more than enough room for the spinal nerves. The canal is normally 17 to 18 millimeters around, slightly smaller than a penny. Spinal stenosis develops when the canal shrinks to 12 millimeters or less. When the size drops below 10 millimeters, severe symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis occur. 

There are many reasons why symptoms of spinal stenosis develop. Some of the more common reasons include : -

Congenital Stenosis : – Some people are born with (congenital) a spinal canal that is narrower than normal. They may not feel problems early in life. However, having a narrow spinal canal puts them at risk for stenosis. ..

Degeneration : – Degeneration is the most common cause of spinal stenosis. Wear

and tear on the spine from aging and from repeated stresses and strains can cause many problems in the lumbar spine…

Spinal Instability : – Spinal instability can cause spinal stenosis. Spinal instability means that the bones of the spine move more than they should. Instability in the lumbar spine can develop if the supporting ligaments have been stretched or torn from a severe back injury…

Disc Herniation : – Spinal stenosis can occur when an intervertebral disc in the low back herniates (ruptures).

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