Is Your Back Pain due to Spinal Stenosis Causing Memory Problems? The Brain-Spine Connection Explained

the constant search for relief. But here's something you might not have considered: your back pain could be impacting more than just your physical comfort. It might actually be affecting how your brain functions.

That brain fog you experience during a bad back pain day? It's real, not just in your head. A new study looking at older adults across the United States revealed a striking link: people with spinal pain were significantly more likely to experience cognitive difficulties. (1) This is not just about being distracted by pain—there appears to be a genuine connection between spinal health and how well your brain functions.

Think about it: your spine is not just a structural support system. It houses your central nervous system, the communication highway between your brain and body. When that system is compromised by conditions like spinal stenosis, the effects can ripple outward in unexpected ways.

Before you worry, there is some good news: research suggests relatively simple things that might help. Studies have shown that daily multivitamin supplementation can support cognitive function in older adults. One study found that elderly women taking a combined multivitamin, mineral, and herbal supplement for just 16 weeks experienced measurable memory improvements. (2) Similar research in older men demonstrated that comprehensive nutritional supplementation positively impacted both cognition and blood biomarkers. (3)

While these studies didn't focus exclusively on back pain sufferers, they suggest that assisting your body nutritionally could supply cognitive benefits—potentially counteracting some of the mental fog that comes with chronic pain.

Now, this is where your chiropractor's care can help. If spinal problems contribute to cognitive issues, doesn't it make sense that addressing those spinal problems could help? A documented case of an 80-year-old woman with chronic low back pain described significant improvement through specialized chiropractic techniques, specifically modified Cox® Technic flexion distraction decompression performed in a gentle, side-lying position. (4) By decreasing chronic spinal pain, chiropractic spinal manipulation may help your whole system—including your brain.

If you're dealing with back pain and noticing that your memory or focus isn't what it used to be, it doesn't have to be your new normal. Consider a two-pronged approach: start with a quality daily multivitamin to sustain your nutritional foundation, and talk with your your chiropractor at Hollstrom & Associates Inc about how spinal manipulation helps address the root causes of your discomfort. Your back—and your brain—will be so grateful.

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr.  Cameron McConville  on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he illustrates relieving, gentle treatment of spinal stenosis with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.