Spinal Decompression

Between each vertebra are soft discs with a fibrous outer layer. These discs function as shock absorbers to protect the vertebra and the spinal cord.

When damage to these discs result in their herniation and degeneration, significant spinal pain, and/or radiating extremity pain can result. A herniation, or a significantly large bulging of a disc, is a protrusion of the damaged disc that presses on an adjacent spinal nerve, resulting in pain or other neurological impairment.

Spinal Decompression creates a negative pressure, or a vacuum inside the disc. This effect causes the disc to pull in the herniation, and the increase in negative pressure also causes the flow of blood and nutrients back into the disc, allowing the body’s natural fibroblastic response to heal the injury and re-hydrate the disc.

 

Spinal Decompression FAQ 

If I undergo Spinal Decompression treatment, how long does it take to see results?

Most patients report a reduction in pain after the first few sessions. Typically, significant improvement is obtained by the second week of treatment.

 

How long does it take to complete Spinal Decompression treatment?

Each decompression session lasts 10-20 minutes. This is repeated 2-3 times a week for the first 2-4 weeks, then 1 time per week for 4-6 weeks.

 

Who is a candidate?

Not everyone is a candidate. A thorough history and examination would need to be performed, in addition to the evaluation of any images or films that have been taken of your injured area. The following is a partial list of those who generally qualify, and those who don’t.

    Inclusion Criteria:

-Pain due to herniated and bulging lumbar discs that is more than four weeks old

-Recurrent pain from a failed back surgery that is more than six months old.

-Persistent pain from degenerated disc not responding to four weeks of therapy.

-Patients available for four weeks of treatment protocol.

-Patient at least 18 years of age.

    Exclusion Criteria:

-Appliances such as pedicle screws and rods

-Pregnancy

-Prior lumbar fusion less than six months old

-Severe osteoporosis

-Spondylolisthesis (unstable)

-Compression fracture of lumbar spine below L-1 (recent).

-Pars defect

-Pathologic aortic aneurysm.

-Pelvic, abdominal, or metastatic cancer

-Disc space infections

-Severe peripheral neuropathy

-Hemiplegia, paraplegia, or cognitive dysfunction

 

Are there any side effects to the treatment?

Most patients do not experience any side effects. Though, there have been some mild cases of muscle spasm for a short period of time.

 

Can Spinal Decompression be used for patients that have had spinal surgery?

In most cases Spinal Decompression treatment is not contra-indicated for patients that have had spinal surgery. In fact many patients have found success with Spinal Decompression after a failed back surgery.