According to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017, back pain leads the list of worldwide disabilities. In fact, back pain is a common reason for losing days at work and costs the US economy nearly $635 billion. Here are some other statistics about back pain:
As the world’s aging population increases, the need for successful treatments grows, too. One of those treatments is spinal decompression of the spine, a safe, drug-free remedy for spinal issues.
Spinal decompression is a non-invasive procedure used to relieve back and neck pain and focuses on intermittent traction force to the spine. Traction therapy in this context means “the deliberate and prolonged pulling of the spine, as by weights, to reduce pressure, etc.” This pulling stretches the spine, taking pressure off the discs and nerves and has provided relief for those with herniated discs, pinched nerves, scoliosis, sciatica, and degenerative disc disease.
Spinal decompression is particularly helpful for:
Chiropractic care helps to mobilize the joints of the spine. Once the joints are freed up, spinal decompression can separate the joint surfaces and reduce pressure in the painful discs providing relief. Chiropractic care for spinal issues typically includes a combination of manual or instrument adjustments, massage and exercises.
Spinal decompression therapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses a traction device to gently stretch the spine, creating negative pressure in the discs to reduce pressure on the spinal nerves and alleviate pain. This therapy helps to reduce pressure on the spine, allowing the discs to rehydrate and become more flexible, which helps to improve the range of motion, reduce inflammation, and promote healing in the affected area.
The patient lies down, fully clothed, on a computer-controlled traction table. A harness is placed around the pelvis with another one around the midsection of the body. The chiropractic doctor operates the force exerted by the table to stretch the spine, which is customized to the patient’s individual needs.
The chiropractor may also choose to use the following either before or after each session:
An average treatment plan involves 20-28 treatments over six to eight weeks. Each treatment lasts around 30-45 minutes.
There are many benefits when patients choose spinal decompression from their chiropractor:
You may experience the following after spinal decompression:
In order to reduce the risk of side effects, chiropractic spinal decompression should not be used if you have:
Also, let the chiropractor know if you have had previous spinal surgery, spondylolisthesis, Paget disease, or difficulty lying on your back or stomach.