Healthy News January 2023

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is reportedly one of the most common spinal conditions in the US, afflicting more than 500 million people over the age of 62. (1) As researchers grapple with a more systematic approach to managing patient care for lumbar spinal stenosis patients, your Auburn chiropractor delivers gentle, safe, pain easing treatment. The most recent effort at a system stressed that each LSS patient is unique in her/his experience which limits any algorithm to be “soft guidance” as to its treatment plan based initially on the LSS patient's pain relief with spinal flexion. (2) Since spinal stenosis is characteristically a systemic issue, which means that if you have spinal stenosis in the lumbar spine, you likely have it in other spinal areas like the cervical as well, you don’t want to ignore it. Further, lumbar spinal stenosis is not a condition that appears and disappears forever. Its pain can be managed, but its status as a condition remains one that researchers classify as “chronic,” meaning it lasts beyond 90 days. Be hopeful! Your chiropractor can help with lumbar spinal stenosis relief. One study reported that flexion distraction significantly reduced pain and disability for lumbar spinal stenosis patients. (3) Another study reported that chronic back pain sufferers with moderate to severe symptoms got better the most with the chiropractic technique, Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction Decompression (CTFDD), compared with physical therapy. (4) Those same patients experienced significantly lower pain scores over the following year than did patients who underwent physical therapy. (5) LSS patients also have altered gait and balance issues. (1,6) CTFDD helps these issues, too! A study regarding the influence of spinal manipulation on balance issues in LSS patients documented that flexion distraction spinal manipulation improved function, symptoms, and performance-based mobility in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. (6) We also look forward to the outcomes of a prospective data collection study in its second year of follow-up with patients who were treated with CTFDD for relief of their LSS-related back pain. Data collection will be completed later this year with findings being published in the years to come. Auburn lumbar spinal stenosis is everywhere, and its relieving partner is your Auburn chiropractor here at Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C.!

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Dean Greenwood on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes his relieving treatment of a spinal stenosis patient with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

As a set of researchers starts a new study to analyze if a 6-week education and exercise program will improve the walking capacity of lumbar spinal stenosis patients who also have neurogenic claudication (7), we} suggest walking and exercising now! Much research shows that lumbar spinal stenosis responds to exercise. One study revealed that individualized exercise (stretches and strengthening) in combination with manual therapy (like out CTFDD spinal manipulation mobilization!) beat medical care and group exercise with greater symptom and function improvement as well as walking capacity at 2 months of care. (8) Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. has just the program of stretching, strengthening, and manipulation for you! We’ll design it together!

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We are grateful for all of our patients here at Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. and look forward to a healthy 2023! Make your next Auburn chiropractic visit with Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. now to maximize your spine’s health. See you then!