5 Habits to Stop if You Have Spinal Stenosis

Pressure on the spinal cord and surrounding nerves is what doctors call spinal stenosis. It can be an overwhelming diagnosis for one to receive, and it can mean dealing with pain, numbness, tingling feelings, muscle weakness, and more. Some people don’t experience any symptoms of spinal stenosis, but it is life-altering for those who do. 

Studies show that nearly half of people age 60 or older experience symptoms of spinal stenosis at some point in their day. If you have learned that you have spinal stenosis, it is time to start figuring out what you can do to eliminate some of the bad habits that might contribute to a prolonged experience of pain and discomfort with this ailment. Our team at Orthopedic & Laser Spine Surgery can help you alleviate any pain or other symptoms you may have due to spinal stenosis.

5 Habits to Stop To Help With Spinal Stenosis Symptoms

A few of the most harmful habits to your spinal stenosis symptoms that you should stop include:

Being Too Sedentary

Some people might feel that remaining stationary and not overworking their back is the best way to handle symptoms of spinal stenosis. However, a sedentary lifestyle can actually make the problem worse. 

Staying fit and active is good for your overall health and can help you increase the strength in the affected muscles and joints. It is important to remember that you do not have to sign up for a gym to stay active. Instead, you should work on finding the types of exercises that appeal the most to you. 

Ignoring Your Symptoms

One habit that some spinal stenosis sufferers find themselves engaging in is ignoring the problem. They want to pretend that the pain and discomfort will fade away if they just ignore it long enough. Instead, you need to embrace the fact that your symptoms of spinal stenosis will only be resolved if you take proactive measures. 

Spinal stenosis is a progressive condition. This means that it will worsen for you over time if you don’t take actions to treat it. Make sure you consider this and take measures to head off the worst impacts of spinal stenosis on your life. 

Engaging in Poor Posture 

Everyone should focus on their posture regardless of if they have spinal stenosis or not. However, those with spinal stenosis should pay extra attention to the way that they hold themselves when they are sitting or standing. There are a lot of negative side effects to prolonged periods of poor posture. A few of these side effects include: 

• Headaches
• Back pain
• Rounded shoulders
• Muscle fatigue

These symptoms worsen over time if one doesn’t take steps to improve their posture.

Sitting For Too Long

The modern office and work situation that most of us find ourselves in have us sitting for long periods of time. It is a challenge to get up and stand more often. If one is not careful about how they work on their sitting habits, it is easy to remain seated for four, six, or even eight hours at a time. That habit can cause severe damage to your spine and can put you in a position where your spinal stenosis gets far worse than it was before. 

Having Poor Sleep Habits

You need to think about the position that you sleep in and if it exacerbates your spinal stenosis symptoms. You should try to put a pillow up under your legs to prop them up and align your spine in a way that will help take care of your spine and make you feel better. 

Reach Out to a Specialist at Orthopedic & Laser Spine Surgery Today

At Orthopedic & Laser Spine Surgery, we work with patients who want to make changes to their habits so that they can find relief from their back pain. If you have been looking for a way to find relief from the back pain you have been experiencing, please contact us through our online form for more details. You can schedule an appointment and work with our professional and highly trained medical specialists to identify the specific issues that you are going through. 

Relief can be found when you decide to make a change, and our professionals will help you throughout the journey. You can also call us at (855) 853-6542 for an appointment.