Beating spinal stenosis: Better treatments available without meds
Spinal stenosis can bring your life to a standstill, but it’s incredibly difficult to find a suitable treatment.
“It’s the kind of pain that slowly wears you down,” said Dr. Michael Riley, D.C., medical director of Renuva Back Pain Center in Oklahoma City.
Patients diagnosed with spinal stenosis often describe neck and back pain, a burning pain that shoots into the arms or legs, tingling and numbness, and muscle weakness that affects the ability to walk or disrupts fine motor skills.
“For patients who struggle with spinal stenosis, the pain and the numbness are real and usually get worse over time,” Riley said.
Living with chronic pain caused by stenosis of the spine affects every part of your life.
“It keeps you from doing things you enjoy — time spent with kids and grandkids, playing golf, even working in the yard,” he said. “It would be nice to get out of bed — just one morning — without pain. Every time you try and push through the pain, like standing or walking for an extended period, you pay for it for the next two to three days with even more pain.”
However, safe and effective treatments are emerging to address the cause of pain stemming from spinal stenosis without medication or surgery, Riley said.
Why the pain won’t stop
Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal, which can put pressure on your spinal cord and the nerves that travel through the spine, Riley explained. Spinal stenosis occurs most often in the neck and lower back. Pain occurs when the narrowing affects the nerves. If a nerve is squeezed, pain can occur in the back or neck but can also send radiating pain, tingling or numbness down the legs, arms and hands, all depending on the location of the narrowing.
To fix this, the stenosis must be reversed by opening these spaces within the spine.
“This is why many other spinal stenosis treatments may not have worked because medications, injections, and even surgery don’t correct the fundamental issues occurring in the spine,” Riley said.
However, a study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research late last year indicates that certain genetic changes are linked with an increased risk of developing lumbar spinal stenosis.
The results from the study, which included 469 individuals, provides a better understanding of the condition and the identification of genetic markers, meaning individuals who are at increased risk can be identified early and preventive measures can be initiated.
The study provided some new insights into the nature of the condition, but for many, the everyday pain remains.
“To fix this, you must reverse the stenosis by opening these spaces within your spine,” Riley said. “If you can stop the narrowing and begin widening these spaces again, your pain will be significantly reduced or even eliminated.”
Riley said this is why many other treatments may not be effective.
“Medications, injections and even surgery don’t usually correct the narrowing occurring in your spine,” he said.
A new treatment option for spinal stenosis
At Renuva Back & Pain Center, doctors have developed a unique treatment protocol that they have applied to thousands of patients around the country to significantly reduce or even eliminate pain.
“This protocol is a combination of leading edge, FDA-approved technologies and treatment methods that treat the cause of pain and help to heal nerve damage to stop the pain, burning, numbness and tingling,” Riley said. “Results vary from patient to patient, but the overall results have been remarkable.”
Renuva’s CoreCare is a nonsurgical and drugfree treatment developed by Riley over the course of 15 years.
The CoreCare treatment protocol is a fivephase scientific approach that applies FDA-cleared technologies and therapies in a way that is methodical and proven to be effective.
CoreCare combines several therapies designed specifically for treating the underlying causes of most pain.
Each therapy on its own has value, but when combined, produce a greater and longer lasting effect. In other words, the sum of the whole is greater than the parts.
“There are two unique factors to CoreCare: The synergy that comes from the therapies working together and the treatment procedures, which include science-based techniques, methods and algorithms,” Riley said.
Finding the right partner
Riley said Renuva understands how difficult it can be to choose a doctor and a treatment program that is right for you — especially if you have gone through several doctors, physical therapists or other providers.
That’s why the Oklahoma City-based back pain center offers a noobligation consultation with two CoreCare treatments for only $59. Patients can discuss their medical history and talk about their symptoms. You will also have time to ask questions about your condition and any concerns you may have. Also included with the consultation is an exam that includes a full evaluation, including a full digital spine scan and X-rays, if needed, to pinpoint the cause of your pain along with the two CoreCare treatments to see how your body responds.
The $59 offer with two CoreCare treatments is only good until Sept. 17.
The Renuva Back & Pain Center in the Oklahoma City metro area is located at 5601 NW 72 Street, Suite 312 in Warr Acres. Call 405-782-2316 for more information.