Back pain is one of the most common types of pain experienced by millions of Americans. It is estimated by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons that nearly 85% of Americans experience some form of back pain during their lifetime. Persistent back pain can be disruptive to daily routine and affect your quality of life.
Why does back pain occur?
Spinal disc degeneration is the most common cause of back pain or neck pain. Spinal discs can become thin, weak, and bulge, or even rupture due to aging and normal wear and tear. Aging decreases the production of proteoglycans, a vital protein that helps maintain a healthy disc. The decrease in the production of proteoglycans causes the disc to dehydrate and ultimately leads to disc degeneration.
Stress due to an extended period of sitting, improper lifting, or excessive standing also contribute to lumbar disc degradation and cause back pain. Besides arthritis, poor posture, obesity, and mental stress may also cause back pain. Back pain is also associated with disease of the internal organs, blood clots, or bone loss.
What are various treatment options to relieve back pain?
Back pain treatment depends upon the type of pain you have and the inherent cause behind the pain. Treatment options include pain medications, steroid shots, surgery, and therapy. Side effects of prescription pain medications, steroid shots often outweigh the benefits and do not address the inherent issue behind the pain. Surgical options to treat back pain often fail to provide the much-needed relief.
How can spinal decompression therapy relieve back pain?
Spinal decompression therapy is a modern-day non-surgical, non-invasive mechanical traction procedure that works by gently stretching the spine thereby taking pressure off your spinal discs. The procedure is performed using advanced computer-aided technology and can provide lasting pain relief and overall help increase the mobility of your back and neck.
The therapy helps create a negative pressure on the spinal disc and promotes retraction or reposition of herniated or bulging disc thereby helping in reducing pain. The procedure also relieves pressure on a pinched nerve and other spinal structures. The pressure relief resulting from the therapy thus helps to provide an influx of healing nutrients, increases circulation of water and oxygen to the disc thereby promoting natural healing, and provides last pain relief.
Who can benefit from spinal decompression therapy?
If you are suffering from back pain, spinal decompression therapy often provides both immediate and long-term relief for your condition. This procedure can treat a variety of back pain problems. Those suffering from some of the most common conditions listed below can benefit greatly from spinal decompression therapy.
Sciatica (Radiculopathy)
The Sciatica is a nerve that branches from the lower back and travels through the buttocks and extends down the back of each leg ending just below the knee.
Sciatica, also referred to as Radiculopathy, is the pain that radiates along this nerve. Usually pain from Sciatica occurs on a single side. The most common cause of Sciatica pain is a herniated disc that puts pressure on this nerve.
Spinal decompression therapy can help provide immediate relief from those suffering from moderate to severe sciatica by helping the herniated disc regain its normal shape.
Facet Syndrome
Facet syndrome is a syndrome in which the facet joints cause pain due to irritated and inflamed joints. The facet joints suffer from wear and tear due to constant repetitive motion and become inflamed. The pain often increases after long periods of inactivity.
Spinal decompression therapy is very successful in relieving the pain of Facet syndrome. The therapy promotes effective natural healing and often provides immediate relief by increasing space between the facet joints. With further treatments, the body slowly reverts to this decompressed state naturally and helps provide long-term pain relief.
Pinched Nerve
Pinched nerves are often caused due to protruding or ruptured herniated disc that creates pressure on the nerves. They also occur due to bone abnormality like a bone spur that may put pressure on the nerve. Spinal decompression therapy relieves this pressure thereby effectively reducing pain caused by the pinched nerve.
Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis occurs due to the reduction of spaces within your spinal column. This leads to pressure on the nerve roots and the spinal cord and causes moderate to severe pain. The pain occurs most often in the lower back and the neck. Spinal decompression therapy can effectively reduce pain caused due to spinal stenosis by increasing the space in the spine and decompressing the pressed nerves.
Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis is a painful condition in which the vertebra slips forward and out of position due to facet joint degeneration. Spinal decompression therapy can provide much-needed relief for low-gradeSpondylolisthesis by increasing disc height and reducing slip angle.
Is spinal decompression therapy right for me?
Spinal decompression therapy is a safe, non-invasive procedure and regardless of your age can provide a wide range of benefits for better spine health.
Even if you are not suffering from back pain or have any other related symptoms undergoing spinal decompression therapy can promote the production of proteoglycans and thereby help maintain your spine.
If you have recently suffered from spinal fractures or infections, severe osteoporosis, had spinal surgery with metal implants or if you are pregnant then you are not an ideal candidate for this therapy. However, spinal decompression therapy can be performed post bone fusion or non-fusion surgery.
Contact us today to set an appointment. We’d like to see you and discover if we can help relieve your Spinal Decompression pain.