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

If you're dealing with spinal stenosis or chronic back pain, you know the daily struggle—the stiffness, the discomfort, the aching, the limitations, the endless quest for something that actually works. But here's something you might not have thought about: your back pain could be impacting more than just your physical comfort. It might actually be affecting how your brain functions.

You're not imagining it if you've felt mentally foggy on days when your back pain flares up. A recent study looking at older adults across the United States revealed a striking link: people with spinal pain were significantly more likely to notice cognitive difficulties. (1) This is not just about being distracted by discomfort—there appears to be a genuine connection between spinal health and how well your brain works.

Think about it: your spine isn't just a structural support system. It houses your central nervous system, the communication highway between your brain and body. When spinal stenosis upsets that system, the consequences can spread far beyond your back.

Before you get too worried, there's encouraging news: research shows some surprisingly easy solutions might make a real difference. Studies have shown that daily multivitamin supplementation can boost cognitive function in older adults. One study found that elderly women taking a combined multivitamin, mineral, and herbal supplement for just 16 weeks reported measurable memory improvements. (2) Similar research in older men showed that comprehensive nutritional supplementation positively impacted both cognition and blood biomarkers. (3)

While these studies didn't solely focus on back pain sufferers, they suggest that supporting your body nutritionally could supply cognitive benefits—potentially offsetting 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 showed significant improvement with specialized chiropractic techniques, particularly 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 living with back pain and noticing that your memory or focus isn't what you’re used to, there are options beyond just accepting it. Think about addressing it two ways: start with a quality daily multivitamin to sustain your nutritional foundation, and consult with your chiropractor at Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc about how spinal manipulation helps get at the root causes of your discomfort. Your back—and your brain—will thank you.

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