Spinal Stenosis
When the spinal canal narrows and nerves run out of room, decompression creates the space they need — without surgery, without fusion.
What Is Spinal Stenosis?
Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal — the channel that houses and protects the spinal cord and nerve roots. As the canal narrows, nerves become compressed, leading to pain, numbness, weakness, and a characteristic symptom called neurogenic claudication: leg pain or fatigue that comes on with walking and eases when you sit or lean forward.
Stenosis is most common in the lumbar spine (lower back) and is frequently caused by a combination of factors: bone spurs, thickened ligaments, collapsed disc height from degenerative disc disease, and herniated discs all contribute to the narrowing. It's a condition that typically progresses gradually, and many patients in Ocean and Monmouth County don't seek care until their walking distance has significantly shortened. The sooner it's addressed, the more options remain available.
How Spinal Decompression Addresses Stenosis
Surgery for spinal stenosis — typically a laminectomy or spinal fusion — removes bone or hardware to create space in the canal. The results can be meaningful, but surgery carries real risks, long recovery times, and the possibility of adjacent-segment disease where levels above or below the fusion begin to deteriorate faster.
DRX spinal decompression takes a different approach: by reducing the compressive load on the affected spinal segments, it creates more space within the canal without permanent structural changes. The reduction in intradiscal pressure — the only conservative treatment to bring it below atmospheric levels (Ramos & Martin, 1994) — reduces disc bulging, decreases pressure on nerve roots, and creates the environment where inflammation can begin to resolve and the body's own repair processes can get to work.
For appropriate stenosis candidates, this means meaningful improvements in walking tolerance, reduced leg symptoms, and restored daily function — without the risks and recovery of spinal surgery.
Learn More About DRX Spinal Decompression →Are You a Candidate for Spinal Decompression?
Decompression therapy may be right for your stenosis if any of the following apply:
- Spinal stenosis confirmed by MRI or CT scan
- Leg pain, cramping, or weakness that comes on with walking
- Numbness or tingling in the legs or feet
- No prior spinal fusion at the affected level
- Desire to exhaust conservative options before considering surgery
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Fischer to find out whether you're a candidate and get a personalized plan.
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