By Qineng Tan, L.Ac., Ph.D. and Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D.
Lower back lumbar pain? Sciatic pain that radiates down the legs or causes tingling or numbness in the legs? These can be signs of lumbar stenosis, a nerve condition affecting the spinal cord in the lower back. Acupuncture and TCM offer lower back pain treatment for spinal stenosis of the spine.
What Is Lumbar Spinal Stenosis?
The lower part of the spine, known as the lumbar region, consists of five vertebrae situated between the ribs and the pelvis. Lumbar spinal stenosis is a condition in which the spinal canal has become more narrow over time, compressing the nerves that travel through the lower back and into the legs. This can cause back lumbar pain, or lower back pain.
This condition is similar to cervical radiculopathy, in which compression of nerves in the upper spine cause neck pain and shoulder pain.
Although lumbar stenosis can affect younger individuals due to congenital factors, it is most often seen in people over the age of 60 as a degenerative condition.
Spinal stenosis can be related to a slipped disc in back (also known as a bulging disc in back or herniated disc in back).
As we age, changes in the spine develop gradually over years, even decades. The disks that cushion the vertebrae lose their sponginess, shrink in height, and may bulge into the spinal canal.
Bone spurs can also form, and the spinal ligaments may thicken. These changes are all part of the body’s natural aging process, yet together they can create a narrowing of the central canal. When this narrowing causes inflammation or compression of nerves, it can lead to the symptoms associated with lumbar spinal stenosis.
Top 5 Symptoms of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Back pain, or what is known as “sciatic pain,” that radiates down the legs, are the most common symptoms of spinal stenosis. The pain is usually most pronounced when standing or walking for long periods of time and feels better when you sit down or bend forward to stretch the legs and low back.
- Leg pain, weakness, or numbness in the legs, calves, or buttocks
- Cramping in the calves when walking, often requiring frequent breaks to walk any significant distance
- Pain radiating down one or both legs, hip pain, a sensation similar to sciatica
- In severe cases, loss of motor function in the legs or issues with bowel or bladder control
- Pain that improves when bending forward, sitting, or lying down
Spinal stenosis can affect your gait, by causing numbness or weakness in the muscles in the calf that lift the front part of the foot; that leads to feet slap when walking. This is also known as “foot drop,” “slap gait,” or “steppage gait.”
In some cases, lumbar spinal stenosis can also cause sexual problems, like erectile dysfunction (ED), pain during sex, difficulty with arousal, or an inability to orgasm.
Lumbar spinal stenosis is sometimes accompanied by other age-related conditions. Degenerative spondylolisthesis, where one vertebra slips over another (typically L4 over L5), and degenerative scoliosis, which causes a mild curvature in the lower back, may occur alongside spinal stenosis.
In rare cases, lumbar spinal stenosis can lead to cauda equina syndrome, a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention. If you experience sudden loss of bowel or bladder control, severe numbness in the legs, or intense weakness that affects your mobility, seek medical help right away.
Medical Diagnosis of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
A healthcare provider will begin with a thorough physical exam, assessing sensation, strength, and reflexes to identify any signs of spinal stenosis. Imaging tests such as X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans provide detailed insights into the structure of the spine, allowing doctors to pinpoint areas where the spinal canal may be narrowed or where bone spurs could be pressing on nerves. In some cases, further testing may be recommended, including nerve conduction studies, electromyography (EMG), or a myelogram to examine nerve function and muscle response.
Medical Treatment for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Treatment for spinal stenosis usually involves pain management through medication.
Medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can relieve pain and reduce inflammation. For some people, steroid injections may also be recommended to reduce swelling. In cases where nerve pain or muscle spasms are present, specific medications maybe be prescribed to help manage these symptoms.
If conservative treatments don’t provide sufficient relief, surgery may be considered. Surgical options include removing bone spurs and widening the spaces in the spine to relieve nerve pressure, known as decompression, and sometimes spinal fusion to stabilize the lower back. This type of surgery is often recommended only when other measures have not been successful, except in emergency cases like cauda equina syndrome.
Acupuncture and TCM can help relieve back pain, leg pain, and hip pain, without the unwanted side effects that can come with taking pain medications and steroid injections.
Can Acupuncture Help Lumbar Spinal Stenosis?
Acupuncture is now widely recognized as an effective way to manage pain without side effects or dependence on drugs.
In a randomized study involving 80 patients over the age of 50 with lumbar spinal stenosis, acupuncture was compared to a sham acupuncture treatment over 24 sessions across 8 weeks. Results showed that the acupuncture group experienced a significant improvement and greater reductions in pain intensity, symptoms, and dysfunction compared to the sham group.
Another study on acupuncture for spinal stenosis included patients experiencing chronic back and leg pain due to spinal canal narrowing, specifically with L5 radiculopathy, which often leads to symptoms like numbness, weakness, and limited mobility. This study took place in Japan, with patients who had been referred to a hospital for surgical treatment, but were given acupuncture treatment instead.
Participants in the study received a series of acupuncture treatments, where needles were inserted at specific points to promote blood circulation, reduce inflammation, and stimulate the body’s natural pain-relief responses. The outcomes showed that patients reported significant pain relief and improved function over time, suggesting acupuncture can be an effective alternative for managing spinal stenosis symptoms.
Importantly, the study highlighted that acupuncture could help patients avoid prolonged use of NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), which are commonly prescribed for pain but may harm liver health with extended use. By reducing dependency on medications, acupuncture offers a holistic approach that aligns with the goal of supporting overall wellness, including protecting liver health. This makes it a promising option for patients seeking a natural, long-term solution to manage their spinal stenosis symptoms effectively.
One study demonstrated significant pain reduction and quality-of-life improvements after 10 acupuncture sessions, with effects lasting up to six weeks post-treatment. Other trials have found that acupuncture led to greater improvements in pain, mobility, and patient satisfaction than conventional therapies alone, especially in the short term.
Preventing Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
While lumbar spinal stenosis may not be entirely preventable, especially with the natural aging process, there are steps you can take to support spine health:
- Engage in regular exercise, including aerobic activities like walking, swimming, or cycling, to keep muscles strong and flexible.
- Practice good posture and safe lifting techniques to protect your spine.
- Maintain a healthy weight to reduce extra strain on the lower back.
- Avoid smoking, as it accelerates spinal degeneration.
Physical therapy, staying active, and using home remedies like ice packs, heating pads, or massage can all help alleviate discomfort.
Acupuncture Near Me for Lumbar Stenosis Near Me
At Art of Wellness Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine in West Los Angeles, Drs. Tan and Cai have over 35 years of experience in treating pain conditions of all sorts, including low back pain, hip pain, sciatic pain, and more. They will work with each patient on an individual basis, looking at their imaging and test results and combining their knowledge of orthopedic medicine with TCM to create a unique treatment protocol. TCM views the whole person and provides holistic treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis to relieve pain and improve function.
*This article is for education from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine only. The education provided by this article is not approved by FDA to diagnose, prevent, treat and cure human diseases. It should not stop you from consulting with your physician for your medical conditions. Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on Qi, which is an invisible force that usually cannot be observed by modern science. Because science focuses on testing ideas about the natural world with evidence obtained through observation, these aspects of acupuncture can’t be studied by science. Therefore acupuncture and Chinese herbs are often not supported by double-blind, randomized trials, and they are considered alternative medicine therapies in the United States.
