Question
What are the best options for treating my spinal stenosis.
I have seen a sports and rehab doctor and he sent me to theraphy sessions and also chiropractor. He then sent me to have steriod injections at l-3 twice. Have had mri also and my primary doctor sent me to surgeon and he thinks laterial hemilamonectomy is the answer .I have stalled him on that ahd trying to get in to a chriopracter.What do you sugest

Answer
Robert,

This is not an uncommon problem, and unfortunately if you have a lot of arthritic, degenerative changes to the lumbar joints, it will close down on the canal and nerves (stenosis means narrowing).    Some people will respond somewhat to a procedure called lumbar flexion/distraction which is a decompressive procedure.     You can see a small video of me doing this on a patient on my web site.   You can go to Google Scholar and search: "Decompressive manipulation and lumbar stenosis, by Donald Murphy," and you will see his article pop up (though a clinical journal article, you can read along and get the idea).    You simply cannot get your back fixed with regular manipulation by a chiropractor.   The only chance is to try flexion/distraction (or similar lumbar decompression table).   If your stenosis is bad enough to cause you to lose foot/ankle strength or some of your reflexes, or if it causes relentless pain that is unresponsive to all conservative measures, then you have to talk to the surgeon.    If you try the decompressive procedure, then figure on about 4 to 6 sessions, and do them almost daily, to see if you respond or not.   If no changes, then surgical consultation is warranted.  

'Hope this helps.

Dr. G
www.drgillman.com