Ashburn and Herndon Back Pain from Spinal Stenosis: MRI and Exercise
Beyond the Image: Understanding Your Spine Through Clinical Care
You're in pain and searching for relief—we're here to help. Nothing feels more reassuring than seeing an actual image of your spine and pointing to what might be triggering your pain. But here's something that might astonish you: what shows up on your MRI or X-ray often does not match what you're actually feeling. A novel 2025 study found that people with severe spinal stenosis seen on scans may have zero pain, while others with "perfect-looking" spines are in horrible pain. (1) Wild, right? Another recent study described what many patients feel: "it's hard to trust an individual, it's easier to trust an image." (2) We fully understand that. But here’s the thing—your chiropractor's hands-on exam, combined with thoughtfully interpreting your imaging, tells your real story. We're not dismissing your scans—we're looking at the complete picture of what's happening in your body to find the best path to relief. Let’s discuss both your imaging findings and clinical assessment exam findings to create a thorough treatment plan custom-made just to you delivered by your chiropractor at Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn.
Ashburn and Herndon CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE MONTH: Try Exercise to Help Decrease Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Pain
Exercise provides substantial benefits for lumbar spinal stenosis patients, effectively reducing pain and improving function through flexibility, strengthening, and aerobic components. Importantly, stenosis severity does not affect treatment responsiveness, meaning that even patients with advanced stenosis can achieve meaningful improvements. This evidence supports exercise as a primary conservative treatment, proposing a non-invasive approach to manage symptoms and enhance mobility before considering surgical options. (3,4) Let’s chat at your next chiropractic appointment about the optimal exercise for you.
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