Mark Shelley DC, DACNB

Is Spinal Stenosis Slowing You Down?

A life limiting condition. A better way forward. If walking feels harder than it used to… or standing too long leads to back pain or leg numbness, spinal stenosis could be the reason. And if you know someone dealing with this kind of pain, please feel free to forward this to them. It could really help.

What Is Spinal Stenosis?

Spinal stenosis is narrowing of the openings the spinal cord or nerves travel through. Usually from wear and tear. This can cause pressure on the nerves resulting in pain, tingling, weakness, or heaviness in the back, legs, or arms. Conventional medical treatment is surgery to reduce pressure on the nerves. And it’s common, especially as we age. Studies show that up to 47% of older adults have signs of spinal stenosis —even if they don’t know it yet.

Source: Kalichman et al., Spine J. 2009; Fujii et al., J Clin Med. 2022

How It Affects Daily Life

• You might notice it when walking, standing, or doing chores.
• The pain often improves when sitting or bending forward.
• Over time, it can limit your activity and make life feel smaller.

But here’s the good news: Now we have non-surgical treatment options. More later!

I was having totally debilitating, and extreme pain in my hip going down to my knee for about two months. At times I couldn’t walk, barely sleep, and took multiple painkillers each day just to get by. I tried all sorts of different treatments including L-35 facet injections, ice, heat, and physical therapy. After seeing some ads online, I decided to get a consultation at Olympic, and I’m so happy I did! Isaw immediate relief after starting treatment. I felt they looked at my specific, personal needs for healing. By combining the treatments, paired with my home exercises, I have a plan to remain healthy and mainly pain free. I can now get back to playing with my grandson, traveling, hiking, doing household chores, or spending time with my friends. The staff are extremely helpful, always trying their best for your comfort, healing, with a desire to help anyway they can, so nice to be around.

– Jim H.

How we treat spinal stenosis at Olympic:

If the nerves are being compressed by bone, unfortunately surgery is likely the only option. However, in most cases the nerve pressure is caused by bone growth and disc bulging. If the compression is caused in part from the disc, non-surgical spinal decompression is likely an option. These are some of the therapies we often use and how they work:

Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Gently stretches the spine to relieve pressure on nerves and reduce disc bulges.

Trigenics® Neuromuscular Therapy A unique treatment that retrains your nervous system to restore balance, coordination, and reduce pain.

Pressure Wave Therapy (Shockwave) Stimulates healing in muscles and tissues around the spine. Physical Rehabilitation Customized movement and strength plans to support long-term recovery and prevent future flare-ups.

Life is better with less pain and more mobility.

If spinal stenosis is holding you back, we’re here to help you move with confidence again—whether that’s hiking, traveling, or just playing with the grandkids.

Let’s get you back to living the life you love!

Team Member of the Month: Dr. Webb

• Wow! Work ethic? Check! Motivation? Check! Rolling with the flames? Check? Good movie recommendations? Check Check! So grateful to have you on the team!
• For being awesome with your skills, the ideas you input are really streamlining our procedures.