Mailbag! Dr. Scott’s 2-Step System for PAIN-FREE Living!
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted September 21, 2021
I have spinal stenosis, and it’s very painful. Do you have any recommendations?
–Deanna from Albuquerque, NM
*****
Deanna,
I’m sorry to hear you’re going through this!
To manage your spinal stenosis pain, you’ll want to focus on two areas: exercises and reducing inflammation.
The word “stenosis” means narrowing, and with spinal stenosis, the boney channels that nerves travel through get smaller. This narrowing then compresses your nerves.
As you can imagine, nerves don’t like to be squished, which means you might first feel a tingly or prickly sensation that then becomes the pain you’re dealing with now. If the narrowing continues, then loss of muscle control could follow.
The reasons for the narrowing are many: the bone itself may block the nerve channels, and herniated discs or thickened ligaments can impinge nerves.
This is why exercises are so important. Staying sedentary feels like the right thing to do, but it’s not.
While moving your body around and stretching can be painful, it’s one of your best solutions. I often tell my patients that sometimes you have to go through pain to get outof pain… and that makes the initial discomfort worth it.
To find out what stretches and movements you should do, schedule an appointment with a chiropractor, physical therapist, or other professional who can develop a program that works for you.
This brings us to the second vital step: reducing inflammation. Start by eating a diet without any vegetable oils and stay away from as many processed foods as you can. Sugar, processed meats, chemically-sprayed crops, refined grain products, alcohol, and packaged snacks ALL increase inflammation.
Make sure you are taking enough fish oil, turmeric, and other natural anti-inflammatories to fight back against inflammation.
As far as dealing with the immediate pain, your best bet is ice. While putting ice on a sore part of your body might seem old-fashioned, it’s one of the best ways to reduce pain and speed up healing.
When you ice a part of your body, not only does it deaden pain, but it also causes your body to rush blood to the area. This helps with blood flow and the removal of wastes. I generally recommend doing 15-20 minutes of ice a few times a day.
On the warming side, I recommend Epsom salt baths. The magnesium in the salts acts as a muscle relaxant and can easily soothe your pain in a relaxing way.
Try these methods, and you’ll soon feel relief.
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
P.S. Have a health concern that’s worrying you? Click here to submit your questions and get featured in the weekly mailbag!
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
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