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.

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 uncovered a striking link: people with spinal pain were significantly more likely to notice cognitive difficulties. (1) This is not just about being distracted by pain—there appears to be a real connection between spinal health and how well your brain works.

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

Before you get too worried, there's encouraging news: research shows some surprisingly simple 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 experienced measurable memory improvements. (2) Similar research in older men demonstrated that comprehensive nutritional supplementation positively affected both cognition and blood biomarkers. (3)

While these studies didn't focus exclusively on back pain sufferers, they suggest that supporting your body nutritionally could give 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 treating 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 you’re used to, you don't have to accept it as inevitable. Consider a two-pronged approach: begin with a quality daily multivitamin to sustain your nutritional foundation, and talk with your your chiropractor at Moriarty Chiropractic 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 illustrates relieving, gentle care of spinal stenosis with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.