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 causing more than just your physical comfort. It might actually be affecting how your brain functions.

It’d not just your imagination if you've felt mentally foggy on days when your back pain flares up. A new 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 isn't just about being distracted by discomfort—there appears to be a real connection between spinal health and how well your brain works.

Think about it: your spine isn't only a structural support system. It protects your central nervous system, the critical pathway that lets your brain and body talk to each other. When spinal stenosis disrupts that system, the consequences can spread far beyond your back.

Before you worry, there is some good news: research suggests relatively simple interventions that might help. 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 accompanies chronic pain.

Now, this is where your chiropractor's care can help. If your spine problems are affecting your thinking, fixing the spine issue should help your brain too, right? A documented case of an 80-year-old woman with chronic low back pain showed 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 entire 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 just live with it. Think about addressing it two ways: start with a quality daily multivitamin to sustain your nutritional foundation, and talk with your your chiropractor at Gormish Chiropractic & Rehabilitation about how spinal manipulation helps address 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 care of spinal stenosis with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.