What is Spinal Decompression Therapy?
Spinal Decompression Therapy is a pain-free, non-invasive, drug-free alternative that has shown a high rate of success at reducing or even eliminating any back or neck pain caused in whole or in part by a damaged disc. It offers relief of lower back pain, sciatica pain, neck pain, bulging or degenerative disc disease, and facet pain.
Spinal Decompression Therapy gently stretches and relaxes the spine, thus diminishing or eliminating nerve compression, while at the same time promoting blood flow and, therefore, nutrition and oxygen intake into the discs and removal of metabolic waste products. In healthy discs, the intake of nutrition occurs naturally with daily motions and body positions. A disc with poor intake, fewer nutrients, and less hydration, is more likely to become injured and painful.
The blending of focused traction to the site, rehabilitation to the supporting structures, and overall strengthening of global musculature makes this treatment unique.
An injured spinal disc requires time and proper care to heal. Combined with prescribed regular and rehabilitative exercises performed at home, Spinal Decompression Therapy has been proven to completely heal some discs and reclaim proper spinal movement patterns.
What to Expect
Put aside any notions of the medieval rack! This is a gentle, often painless therapy.
Patients are placed on a machine, which is programmed by the practitioner to apply pull, hold and release pressure focused on degenerated, herniated or bulging discs. This pulling pressure reduces stress on the disc, enabling disc fluid to flow back into the disc, healing the disc and relieving pain associated with the pressure on the spinal cord or spinal nerves. The equipment continuously monitors muscular reaction to the pressure and compensates to maximize therapeutic results.
Unlike conventional traction, Spinal Decompression Therapy applies a very gently and gradual pressure. If the muscles tighten the unit will reduce the pressure. This allows true decompression of the spine to occur without any straining of surrounding tissue.
The practitioner will also prescribe a program of several clinically effective, yet simple, focused rehabilitative exercises to be performed at home. These exercises will help speed the healing process and reduce the probability of reoccurrence. Our practitioners follow the McKenzie Protocol ® of rehabilitation, which is considered the bench work for spinal rehabilitation. The practitioner may also incorporate ART (Active Release Therapy) to effectively release any nerve entrapment that may be compressing or tensioning the nerves.
Why Spinal Decompression Therapy?
Many back pain patients who undergo Spinal Decompression Therapy, including those who are long-term chronic or post-surgical cases, are able to resume normal activities. Spinal Decompression Therapy is safe, comfortable and painless and, since its release, clinical studies have revealed an amazing success rate in treating spinal related problems.
How Long Will It Take?
In most cases patients have been suffering with their injury for a period of time. Depending on how severe your condition is some patients can fully recover in as few as 6 – 10 visits, however more complex cases may require 20 – 30 visits.
It is very important that patients maintain the treatment schedule recommended by the practitioner to ensure full recovery.