Alternative Treatments for Cervical Stenosis
Alternative treatments have become popular in the management of many health conditions. Many patients wish to reduce their reliance on medications such as painkillers, either due to a fear of addiction or simply a wish to avoid unpleasant side effects. Cervical stenosis is no exception to this trend. This condition causes debilitating pain in the neck, as well as a variety of other symptoms such as pins and needles sensations in the arms and legs, a loss of balance, and clumsiness. Cervical stenosis is often treated with painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, but patients wishing to avoid pharmaceuticals may seek alternative treatments. Even those who are willing to try prescribed medications often find them inadequate. Many patients are discovering the benefits of other treatments such as massage and acupuncture.
Visiting a licensed massage therapist can be beneficial for a variety of health complaints. A massage therapist is trained to recognize, through their own touch as well as the client’s description, places of tension in the body. Pressure is gently placed in the right areas to signal to the muscles that they need to relax and let go of this tension. Touch can also be healing in a more general sense, as it helps a patient relax and reach a better, more peaceful state of mind. According to individual preferences, candlelight, aromatherapy, and soothing music can be added to a massage session for even more relaxing effect. For someone who suffers significant pain from a health condition, a weekly massage can offer a rejuvenation of the senses and a more open, positive outlook toward their health. This can provide the motivation to keep up with other treatments such as physical therapy exercises.
Acupuncture is another very popular technique for relieving chronic pain. This ancient Chinese form of alternative medicine involves the placing of very thin needles in precise points on the body. Some people shy away from this treatment when they hear the word “needles”, but when done correctly the needles are not felt at all. Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to treat everything from infertility to arthritis pain. While science has been unable to prove acupuncture useful for anything other than nausea treatment, many do swear by its effects for pain management.
For most patients with cervical stenosis, one treatment is not going to fully relieve the pain. Generally most will use a combination of treatments until they find what works best for them.