I am a 60 year old male with severe Stenosis who had a Spinal Stimulator implanted 3 years ago to manage the pain from the cocktail of bulging discs, scoliosis and stenosis. As a result my hips have shooting pain and my question is this : Since I have the Spinal Stimulator will the McGill Method still have a positive impact on my pain and lack total mobility?
Hi Dan,
Thank you for your question. Many patients have disc bulges and scoliosis without pain, but severe stenosis can be difficult to treat. There are 2 main types of spinal stenosis, 1) Central Canal Stenosis, which is stenosis or narrowing of the area where the spinal cords travels down the spine and 2) IVF or intervertebral foraminal stenosis where the nerve root from the spinal cord exit the spine (either right or left side) and can be pinched causing stenosis and of course a patient can have both at the same time.
A key differentiator if the McGill Method will be beneficial is if your symptoms fluctuate. Do you have good and bad day or weeks or months? If your symptoms are always strong no matter what position, posture or loads you experience and if the stenosis is causing frank compression on the neural tissue (either spinal cord or nerve roots), then the McGill Method may not provide significant relief as the main problem is the physical compression of the nerve tissue which is typically relieved by a surgical procedure euphemistically called a “Rotor Rooter” procedure where the surgeon decompression the compressed nerve tissue by a variety of means.
However, if the patient notices changes in severity of symptoms, both getting better and worse with various postures, movements and loads, then the McGill Method has a good change to intervene.
Many patients do not receive a detailed history, physical examination or taught to move in a way to load the spine optimally and bio-mechanically correctly. Patients are often given generic exercises, stretches, medication, and recommended surgical procedures for their symptoms, but rarely are the specific postures, movements and loads that hurt and provide relief ever discovered. This is one reason the McGill Method is 3 hours long, much longer than most if not all doctor visits especially specialty doctors who often rely exclusively on imaging.
We often recommend a 30 min. Zoom consult to discuss your case in greater detail and to help you determine if the 3 hour McGill Method in-person consultation is right for you. Hope this helps and thank you for your question.
Dr. Kai Tiltmann, DC