TECAR Therapy represents an exciting electrotherapy technology that has the potential to help thousands of patients affected by (mild to moderate) spinal canal stenosis and other related degenerative conditions affecting the lower (lumbar) spine such as spondylosis and nerve root irritation.
In the lumbar spine, the Spinal Canal refers to the ring of bone of each vertebra through which the major “nerve roots” pass before exiting the spine and branching into the nerves serving the legs and feet. When this area becomes narrowed, due to thickening of the bone, ligaments or central disc protrusions, this is referred to as “stenosis”. Unfortunately, some individuals are born with a congenitally narrowed spinal canal making them even more vulnerable to the degenerative changes mentioned above as well as misalignments of the spine.
Spinal Canal Stenosis can lead to “neurological claudication” of the spinal nerves, this basically means the increased metabolic demand of these nerves during simple activities such as walking, cannot be met due to the compression and inflammation around these nerves. Sufferers will typically experience cramping, pain, heaviness and or weakness in the legs when walking. These symptoms often come on after a set distance or time and can usually be relieved by resting for a few minutes and or leaning forwards (which increases the dimensions of the spinal canal). However, this relief is only short-lived and the symptoms come on again after the individual walking threshold is reached once again; in most cases, this is a relatively short distance and therefore causes significant disruption and limitation to activities of daily living such as walking around a supermarket or going for a stroll.
Surgical decompression of the spinal canal is possible, however, this is fairly major surgery and involves removing all or part of the “lamina” the posterior arch of the spinal canal at the most affected segment(s). This often also means removing, intrinsic muscles and ligaments of the spine which can later lead to further instability of the vertebrae down the line.
Rehabilitation exercises and manual therapy aimed at strengthening the spine and improving posture can sometimes help but Spinal Canal stenosis remains a challenging condition to treat in any setting.
The compression in Spinal Canal Stenosis is due to encroachment into the space normally occupied by nerves. As mentioned above this will be from hard, rigid structures such as thickened ligaments, protruding parts of the intervertebral disc and or bony overgrowth or (arthritic) facet joints. However, the compression often involves an element of swelling in these deep structures of the spine, particularly the ligaments (ligamentous flavum) and even the nerves themselves. This is where TECAR Therapy has the potential to help. Out of all the electrotherapy modalities currently available (e.g. laser, ultrasound, shockwave therapy etc), TECAR is capable of penetrating the deepest, and in most people, unlike the aforementioned modalities, will be able to reach all the way to the spinal canal. Additionally, TECAR Therapy has a “drainage effect”, particularly for “wet ionic” substrates, meaning TECAR has the potential to positively influence the stagnation of cerebrospinal-spinal fluid (the fluid which bathes the spinal nerves in the canal).
Whilst it won’t represent a complete solution for all patients, anecdotal case studies from clinics (including ours) using TECAR Therapy for mild to moderate spinal canal stenosis have backed up the theories outlined above with several reported cases of patients being able to double their walking threshold within just a few treatments and being able to maintain their new improved walking distance with monthly top-ups. With its deep level of penetrating TECAR Therapy is also an ideal adjunct to other therapies such as Spinal Decompression (IDD Therapy) for damaged, slipped, prolapsed or bulging discs. It therefore makes sense for patients, particularly those who have failed traditional physical/manual therapy (Osteopathy, Physiotherapy Chiropractic) to try TECAR Therapy ahead of more invasive procedures such as spinal surgery.
Robert Shanks
Co-Founding Director of Spine Plus Clinics
