If you’ve been diagnosed with spinal stenosis, either cervical or lumbar, you may be wondering just what that means in terms of spine health. According to spine-health.com, spinal stenosis is the “abnormal narrowing of the bone channel occupied by the spinal nerves or the spinal cord”. This narrowing can develop over time; occuring through out different areas of the spine. Though some people are born with the congenital form of spinal stenosis, it is more often experienced throughout the deleterious stage of life. Symptoms of spinal stenosis include radiating pain, numbness and weakness in the extremities. Where these symptoms are similar for both lumbar and cervical stenosis there are differences between the two that are important to note.

Lumbar spinal stenosis occurs in the lower back where cervical refers to the narrowing that occurs in the neck region. Often producing the same symptoms experienced by sciatica, lumbar stenosis often restricts blood flow to the legs, often causing leg pain during walking, or claudification. Though it most often is found at the L4-L5 or L3-L4 area of the spine, lumbar stenosis can actually occur anywhere in the spine.

When the narrowing of the spinal channel is found in the neck, it is referred to as cervical stenosis. Here it produces the possibility of compression of the spinal cord. This compression can lead to serious health issues that include the risk of paralysis. Intensive treatment is often needed when cervical spinal stenosis has been discovered.

Understanding the details of spinal stenosis, and the treatments that relieve its accompanying symptoms, is just one area of expertise at Innovative Health and Wellness. Our spinal stenosis treatments allow patients to avoid invasive surgery and helps them to experience drug-free pain relief. Find out more with a personal consultation with our chiropractors in Woodstock and Buckhead and get started on your path to wellness today.