How To Fix Cervical Stenosis Without Surgery | 3 Simple Exercises 

I was diagnosed with cervical stenosis and suffering for 3 months. Pain medicine, physical therapy and epidural injection did not completely relieve the pain. After doing these exercise stiffness in the neck and pain radiating to my arm was relieved. Thank you so much. 🙏. May God bless you.

These 3 exercises have given me quite a bit of relief already. I've had this pain and stiffness for over 10 yrs and have been diagnosed with cervical stenosis. Thank you for your advice.

WARNING: BE VERY CAREFUL IF YOU CURRENTLY HAVE SYMPTOMS OF SPINAL STENIOSIS, E.G. NUMBNESS OR TINGLING. I never had any motor control issues (i.e. twitching muscles), but I had tingling in my legs due to a bone spur in C5-C6 in my neck (as confirmed by MRI). After doing the chin tuck and overhead raises, I damaged nerves in my spine which resulted in muscles constantly twitching in my left forearm. As the spinal cord does not regenerate, this could be a lifelong affliction. Beware. Start slow, start gentle, low reps, wait an hour between exercises and stop if there is anything out of the ordinary that occurs.

You are a gift from God😃❤. Had neck pain for one year and tried all the pain meds, chiropractor, massage, physical therapy and nothing worked but your exercises 😮. WOW Thank you from the bottom of my heart 💖. Betty

I SO APPRECIATE you taking the time to do these videos 🙏🏼

With these exercises I'm now pain free and my range of motion has improved greatly. I'll try to send you a progress report through your website.

Oh my God. I just reaggravated my neck in the gym 2 days ago, after having only intermittent, minor discomfort since 2015 from cervical stenosis and arthritis. Literally one set of each of your exercises first thing this morning has given me immediate relief!! Thank you so much. I've found that ive been trying to produce these stretches unknowingly, and without success before seeing your video. For instance, I have always tried shrugging my shoulders hard to find relief, because it felt like that's what I needed.... Adding the chin tuck and it finally feels right! Same with the neck rotations-- the pillowcase putting pressure on and helping turn the problem areas makes it so much more effective!

Thank you! I'm already starting to feel relief! Blessings!!!

Thanks for the stretches and the authoritative delivery! It's a bit worrying having picked up different stretches from RU-vid. Trying to know which is good but for you, but you come across very trustworthy and knowledgeable! Is there another part to this where you show the next stage of exercises?

These are wonderful exercises. Thank you so much for sharing.

I have suffered from cervical stenosis. Disk degenerative disease for many years. Drs haven't been able to help me and I'm in so much pain, according to drs I need surgery. I've tried everything and nothing hasworked, so I suffer in silence. I've tried exercise but hasn't helped. I'm going try these too thank you so much

This video is going to be very helpful for me. Thank you

This helps and made my neck-back muscles a little sore. Thank you for all the time and effort you put into your videos. Wish you were here in Atlantic Beach, Fl. We need you!

I absolutely love your videos, they help me so much! Thank you so very much ❤

Amazing, my neck feels better than it has for months. Nobody is better, or more knowledgeable than Dr Dave! He's without a doubt the best.

Brilliant video, thanks so much. Very grateful for good people like you sharing info to help people. Thank you.

Definitely feel a lot smoother in my neck movement after doing those. I’m excited to keep trying these, I have a feeling they’re gonna make a difference. Thanks Dr!!

I was just diagnosed with cervical stenosis. I just tried your exercises and my neck feels better already. I'll see how I sleep tonight.

Excellent teaching and with a very positive reassuring approach, Many providers - surgeons mostly, put fear in you and label this as a death sentence when it is very possible to manage with the exercises and stretches and many modalities more. Sometimes surgery can be an option but as a last resort for sure.

Just found your channel yesterday and you're my hero

I’m so glad I found your channel!! It’s m going to try all this before surgery. I notice when I have extra pain and more symptoms of the neuropathy and dropping thing on my left side and have to run to the bathroom with bladder urgency during this and more nausea and pain down my left arm and leg. Do you think that Tue exercises can actually help this? And avoid surgery? I wish I lived near your clinic. I for sure have cervical vertigo too it’s crazy over what’s considered mild.

wow thanks. you are doing great job. Subscribed already.👍

These exercises work very well for my neck pain! Thank you! 😊

Great advice! Can’t wait to try these! What are your thoughts regarding spinal decompression?

Have neck pain 20+ years (obnoxious neck pain followed by headache ca. twice per week, sleepless nights, etc.). Have tried all kinds exercises with limited (Cervical Neck Traction), or very limited or no effect. Am using your hands up exercise for a month or so and is a game changer for me. When this obnoxious feel in the neck starts manifesting, I am now able to limit it and ultimately subdue it in ca. 30 min. to 2h with the mentioned exercise. No sleepless night yet. Thank you very much for sharing, it really is a blessing for me!🙏

Thank you. Doing them as you speak, better immediately. Many thanks

Was diagnosed with severe cervical stenosis and mylopathy last week and still in shock. Ive had tingling in my hands after a car accident a few years ago and eventually was referred to a neurosurgeon who scared the life out of me. I dont have much pain but the tingling is very annoying in my hands and since the diagnosis am aware of feelings of tightness in my knees. Been feeling so down and feel have been given a death sentence but will try these. Thank you

I really appreciate for teaching the true correct ways of taking care of my neck, that I suffering for more than 50 years

Doc, Thanks for putting out this video. In lea of the 3rd exercise; How effective are pull ups instead?

I just subscribed now. I tried youe 3exercises and i found relief.

Much thanks. Will surely do these exercises.

Thank you for the excellent teaching and exercises. I’ve tried all three just now before going to bed and I can feel relief. I definitely will be doing these more often going forward!

Thank you! Yesterday was absolutely unbearable! I've been in prayer to the Lord about this and you were first in my RU-vid feed! I did the exercises and I'm so much better. I praise the Lord for the way He answers prayers and for Him leading me to your video's!

I am so excited to find help. I went to PT and my symptoms became worse. We didn't realize I had cervical stenosis as well as multiple tears in my rotator cuff. Looking forward to being pain free. Thank you for this!

Thank you for these excerises, they are gentle and not tedious but easy for someone elderly like myself. Also easy for me to remember. I call them excercise friendly.

great video. I think i finally found the right exercises for my neck. thank you.

Fabulous stretches sir, thank you for all you do, keep doing it❤ much appreciation from Sydney Australia 🇦🇺

I felt different the first time I tried it while watching, thanks! 😊

These exercises are way better than the neck side turning and side bending exercises I was given by my PT. Last year, I had excruciating pain from my hands to my elbows when sleeping and could only get mild relief from PT, but went to a chiropractor with cox technic table traction and got 95% relief in about 6 weeks of treatment. Symptoms are slowly creeping up again, so your video may be my best adjunct to reversing it again.

Just tried the exercises and they have brought me some relief and mobility

Your video is very helpful. Can I do this exercises? I had rorator cuff repair 2 years ago, especially the shoulder shrugs? Thanks in advance.

Wow, they actually help quite a bit. BIG thank you for sharing these tips!!!

I just did these exercises and felt relief immediately. Thank you so much for this video.

Thank you. for hope!! I feel a little better now

A month of chiropractic and PT therapy, and no one has told me what you are informing us of for treatment. You are a talented and gifted specialist. Your treatment suggestions have helped me so much....thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

I just came across this video. You have explained the exercises in detail. Thanks. I will be doing them regularly. I am sure my condition will improve.

Thank you so much that I found you, my problem is closing in or stenosis I have a mri, your description is exactly I have but the Dr did not tell me exactly the word stenosis so I have to research so I can understand

Thank you so much, I was so scared after the diagnosis and will try all I can do to avoid surgery. Thank you !!

You are one of the best for stenosis thank you so much

Thank you it makes me feel better day by day

Thank you very much for these exercises and informative information.

Been suffering for a couple of years, with significant left-sided muscle wasting. Nerve root blocks several times, but have only helped briefly. Recently found this video, and the exercises certainly are helping, with exercises 1 and 2 providing rapid relief during flare-ups. Thank you so much

Thanks. Felt some relief right away. Will continue.

Thank you for these exercises. I will do them faithfully. I have had this problem for years. Have seen many doctors and have had various injections. Nothing has worked. Thanks again.

So awesome! I got immediate relief!! Thank you!!!

Hi Doc. Exercises 2 and 3 have really helped me so far. Are there any follow up videos for progressions on these? Thanks

After a severe whiplash injury I suffered damage to several vertebrae over 40 years ago, I have in the last four years had two MRI scans and part of my neck has narrowed to the point there is no room for spinal fluid, surgery is too risky and the benefits minimal. Recently I’ve caused myself pain higher up my neck at the base and it’s stiffer, I think the cause was as you described I’m a 75 year old woman gardener and I recently lifted some very heavy pots to move for the winter I’m used to just getting on with it but I may have over done it, I have watched two of your videos and I relate to what you have said , I’m going to give your exercises a try as it all made so much sense , I’m quite desperate at the moment as the pain is having a real impact on my daily life. I’m in the UK and you have made the most sense of anything I’ve been told. I will get back to you once I’ve given these exercises some time. Thank you so much .

Wow, the 3rd exercise does help! If my right arm feels tingling, I raise my arms overhead as in the exercise, The tingling goes away in few seconds. Many Thanks!

Thank you doctor I will give that a shot greatly appreciate all your videos

Good info sir. Thank you

thanks doc this is great helped me the most

It seems that my MRI shows a bilateral pinching of the nerve in the foramin between C5 & C6 more so on the right side which is also the side that is giving pain and numbness. I will try these exercises and hopefully they will improve my condition. Thank you for the informative video and sharing your knowledge with us. God's blessings be upon you and your family. Amen.

What a beautiful, thorough video. Thank you so much for this, you're a legend! I'm wondering if doing these kinds of exercises will help get rid of my palpitations & hand/head tremors 🙏💖

1 and 3 work great! 👍

I have cervical dystonia and that last exercise has brought me all kinds of relief. Thank you so much.

Hello appropriately sore muscles and a decrease in my headache and eye pain. Thank you!

Thank you!

Thanks Doc, great exercises, hope my punched nerve gets better

Thanks Doc! This is such great advice for us to do as soon as we are diagnosed! … or as soon as we turn 50yo 😊. Why do Drs only suggest surgery when the muscle problems that could have caused the vertebral deformities are not addressed? I’m glad I got a soft neck collar to sleep in and physio as soon as I had symptoms - major relief within the first week! Also non-inflammatory diet, massage, and other interventions help.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ❤❤❤

Wearing a neck brace and alot of reast with limiting movements has helped me more then the snake oil chiropractic care and any p.t I hope to get back to training again but I dont want to infringe on any improvements I will try these thankyou

Thank you Doc

Hello doc I have a multisegmental foraminal stenosis along c3 to c7 shown on MRI and cervical straightening. Symptoms include chronic dizziness and neck stiffness. Can I use the cervical neck pillow traction alongside with these 3 exercises? Thanks for the response. Godspeed

Thank you very much. I was scrolling and I find this info. I will try it, cause I have a lot of pain right now in my neck and shoulders and can not even close my eyes at night. 😢Thank you and God Bless You🙏

Dr. David. any other exercises to relieve C7 stenosis issues? i want to lessen the numbness in my left hand specifically the numbness in my left middle finger where it is worse than the other affected fingers. your exercise number 2 seems to help. hope to hear from you.

Thank you thank you🙌

I can do the tucked chin exercise, it doesn't hurt putting my head down, but hurts at the base of my neck, and my neck pops. What is your professional opinion? The other exercises you showed was no problem. Thank you for your time...

Neck pain gone after the head tuck look down. Amazing. No drugs have helped with that, nor rest nor chiropractor. Great advice too and help to understand whats triggering and how to build up strength properly. Thank you so much.

Not a cure??? Doc I've this pain for about a week I followed your reps for just this video and my God what huge difference in pain and mobility you're a genius thanks

Thank you so much for the most helpful video that I have found on Cervical Stenosis. One of these exercises has worked so well I can't believe it. I even carefully have my 91 year old mother doing it for her pain in her neck and she loves it. It's the shoulder shrugs. About 5 months ago out of nowhere I just woke with this really bad pain in the back of my neck. I live in California and am very health minded. I'm 66 and for years I have been taking Turmeric every day and drink ginger green tea among other things like Krill oil but I am a human being and still getting the normal effects of aging that everyone gets like arthritis. When I went to my doctor he prescribed the usual naproxen which helped with the pain for ten days and then it came right back. After that you would think maybe he would send me to get an X-ray but because of my age and the lousy health care system instead I was sent to physical therapy. Not much good there I started getting shoulder pain, probably from the exercises, confusing even more as to what my problem was. Not her fault without a MRI or X-ray she did her best for 8 weeks. So while I was waiting for approval for my MRI I went to a chiropractor on my own and there x-ray showed that I had some serious problems which then really freaked me out for awhile. I started researching and doing exercises but still not knowing what I had, I think some of the exercises were making me feel worse. I finally discovered your videos and determined that I had cervical stenosis. I started following you and when I did the shoulder shrugs I felt something different. The next day I felt a big improvement! It took 5 months but I am turning the corner on my neck pain. I just got my MRI and saw a spine doctor. Sure enough diagnosed with cervical stenosis. And I had to tell the doctor that I felt great. About 95% pain free. I never saw this exercise like you explained it on any other video. It's fantastic! When you look up shoulder shrugs online it comes up using weights. I may start doing it that way too. Thanks for your help doc!

Thank you, the exercises are giving me some relief.

Thanks

Hi Doc-came across these…thanks! I started doing PT after a cervical stenosis (C6 and C7) was diagnosed by an orthopedist, which was prompted by numbness in left pinky and ring fingers. As you know, the PT goal is to move the numbness out of the fingers, up through the arm, and back into the neck/spine. My question: is it a good sign or bad sign when, while doing various exercises, I feel tingling more intensely in the arm? My instinct is that this means I am overdoing it. What do you say?

Hi on second excersie the double chin should be down with straight head forward or can be a little head bent too?

can I do these exercises if I am still recovering from an injury-induced myelopathy, or would it aggravate it? when I put my chin to my chest as in the 2nd exercise i feel the buzz going through my entire body starting with the chest down? how long does it take for myelopathy to heal?

The second exercise a lot of popping feeling but I felt a release and felt like weight off my shoulders Thank you for this 🙏

Hi, one of my problems is that my left upper trap is constantly contracted. I do have left scapula pain. Tried so many exercises to strengthen my left scapula and nothing has helped. I do have stenosis at some levels with some neural foraminal compromise, do you think these exercises will still help? Thank you!.

I am highly impressed with your teachings .Thank you .I need best exercises protocol for C3-C7 cervical spine stenosis .Kindly send more most updated best your video products

I am 56 and got stenosis I will follow you through

Oh wow, my insurance doesn’t cover PT, so these really help! Do you have the progressions published?

Exercise #2, the chin tuck causes nerve pain down left shoulder to fingers😳.

I have not been diagnosed but the pain sounds like its familiar to me i have been in pain for some time (yrs) All the exercises ,sports you listed not to do is all the things i love to do .!!! So i need to fix this problem i will continue with the exercises you have listed and as you were performing the exercises i too tried them i felt increased circulation warmth etc so i i like this ..Will hot or cold compress help the situation ? thanks for the advice

I have forward head posture and I hope that you post for this too. Thank you

Great tips , gave me some relief

I did try them out and it did work, thank you

Thank you for this. I have been to 2 pt’s and they haven’t shown me these. These showed me the arms up one but didn’t emphasize the double neck. I’ve been doing bird dogs and bands that help my pain between the shoulders. But I’m worried I’m not doing enough to stabilize the neck. In fact they are having me do side to side neck stretches on a small deflated ball. Will you show step 2 exercises to help with this also? Thx for any info!

Thanks!

WOW.. I just can't believe how this worked so fast and so good for me .I have suffered for so long with cervival spinal and foraminal stenosis .I had a discectomy two years ago and the pain returned. This pillow case manipulation gave me fantastic fast relief. I know I sound like a tv commercial but I'm serious. It worked.!!!

have had herniated discs for years just got an mri tho and found out i had stenosis as well.... adding these has really helped out in further reducing pain short term long term i hope it helps as i have some bad stenosis ty

Question? I have a congenital fusion at C2-3. Lots of degeneration, etc. Would this impact theway I should do these exercises? Have neck shoulder pain, been in PT twice, and they offered an occipital nerve block which I am avoiding. Honestly, massage has helped the most with strengthening exercises for the traps. Thank you in advance for any additional info. 😊