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What Is Spinal Decompression, And How Does It Work?

Unless you live in a bubble you have certainly heard the ads that tout spinal decompression therapy. For all the hype on the radio or television it is difficult to understand exactly what spinal decompression is, much less how it works. We all grasp that this technique involves applying traction to the spine, somehow, but what it does and how it does it remain a mystery to most. Here is a primer to help you be one of the people in the know about this popular spinal treatment.

What is Spinal Decompression?
Simply put, spinal decompression is a non-invasive, non-surgical way to treat spinal disc issues in the back and neck. Disc pain is caused by the inner material of the disc, called the nucleus pulposa, leaking out through a break in the outer ring, called the annulus fibrosis. This material puts pressure on nerves that run out of the spine at every level. Spinal decompression seeks to encourage the material to reenter the disc by applying traction, creating a vacuum effect within the disc.

How does it Work?
Older traction machines either worked by applying traction from one direction or by using a system of rollers under the table that ran up and down your spine stretching muscles and joints. The newer spinal decompression tables use straps to secure you to the table, separating the lower body from the upper body for purposes of traction. The table is set to apply traction to the appropriate portion of your spine and is computer driven during the course of the treatment.

Each treatment lasts about 15-20 minutes, and should not be painful. The concept is that this bidirectional traction creates a negative pressure within ruptured discs, encouraging the leaked material to reenter the proper space. Initial studies seem to be positive. A course of treatment usually runs about 20 weeks, and costs vary, but $100 per treatment is normal.

For people suffering with chronic back pain, spinal decompression offers another non-surgical approach that may help ease their pain. Although the therapy is expensive, and rarely covered by insurance, it is still likely to be considerably cheaper than surgery. Additionally, if the process is successful, you avoid all the complications associated with surgery, such as risks of infection, scarring and an extended period of disability as you heal.

When searching for a practitioner that performs spinal decompression, look for someone who has been in the business of spinal care for a while. Chiropractors often include spinal decompression as part of their services, so that is a good place to start. Make sure that you get a recommendation from someone you trust, since there are definitely good chiropractors and bad chiropractors. A bad chiropractor is capable of doing a great deal of harm, very quickly, ruining the reputation of the practice altogether. Combining spinal decompression with massage seems to improve results. If you can find a back care office that offers both treatments, you will increase your odds of a successful outcome.

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