Narrowing of the spinal canal is called spinal stenosis. With trauma, congenital defects, or arthritis, it's possible for spinal stenosis to cause painful symptoms in the back, neck, shoulders or legs. Chiropractic treatment is considered a complimentary or alternate therapy to drugs and surgery. While stenosis is a chronic condition, it can be managed to allow relief of symptoms.
Anatomy
The human spine is sectioned into cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral vertebrae. Openings in the vertebrae, called canals, allow nerve roots to join the main spinal cord. The opening of the spinal canal is normally 75 percent filled with the spinal cord, and the remaining 25 percent is fatty tissue. Stenosis can occur in the main spinal cord or in the canals.
Criteria
There are differences between the sections of vertebrae that dictate whether chiropractic treatment is the best approach or not. If the chiropractor can successfully manipulate the section of spine where the stenosis occurs, it is a viable treatment option. According to Dr. Bruce Chester of Life Chiropractic College, "Most successful outcomes are in the lumbar and cervical regions. The rib attachments in the thoracic vertebrae limit the amount of extension we can produce."
Traction
Treatments that extend the space between parts of the vertebrae take pressure off the nerves. This is the principle of chiropractic traction. According to Dr. Chester, "Traction applied to an inward-curving, or lordotic, section of the lumber spine frequently changes the orientation to a more straightened orientation. It takes a series of treatments, so the chiropractor has to set that expectation."
Contraindications to Chiropractic Treatment
Any acute condition in the spine, such as a fracture, arthritic flare-up, degenerative bone disease or spinal tumor will not resolve with chiropractic treatment and can in fact be made worse with spinal manipulation. These conditions should be diagnosed by a physician who has specialist resources available to help treat the patient. As with any form of medicine, chiropractic treatment is effective for a subset of patients and is not a cure-all therapy.
References
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases; Spinal Stenosis; April 2009
- Dr. Bruce Chester; Associate Dean; Life Chiropractic College West; Fremont, California
