This article was provided by Tullahoma Chiropractic Center, a top rated chiropractic office in Tullahoma, TN.

If you have lasting back pain, whether due to aging, wear, and tear, or trauma, you know how it affects your daily life and overall health. Nowadays, millions of people are looking for back pain solutions in any shape and form available. Some of the limited options include manual manipulation, physical therapy, surgery, pain medications, or a combination of the solutions mentioned above. Even though these options are good, they mask the pain, thus providing a short term solution. Spinal decompression therapy is a non-invasive, FDA approved treatment that offers permanent relief to back pain.

Conditions that spinal decompression therapy can treat

Spinal decompression is ideal for patients who suffer from herniated and bulging discs (the leading causes of back pain), among other conditions. Spinal discs bulge because of repetitive stress, injury, or repetitive stress. Ideally, back pain is attributed to various conditions, including a pinched nerve, sciatica, degenerative disc disease, and bulging or herniated discs. Remember, when spinal discs are compressed, the flow of nutrients is restricted, making it extremely difficult to heal or manage back pain. Other conditions that spinal decompression heal include:

• Neck pain

• Pinched nerve pain

• Spinal stenosis

• Facet syndrome

• Degenerative disc disease

• Bone spurs & arthritic conditions

• Sciatica

• Lower back pain

• Partially ruptured discs

Usually, patients with the conditions mentioned above complain of constant pain and being at their worst in the morning and night. Severe and persistent pain is caused by sitting, prolonged periods of standing, driving, or changing from sitting to standing and vice versa. To identify suitable candidates, healthcare providers rely on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRIs). It is essential to understand that spinal decompression therapy can either be surgical or non-surgical.

What is non-surgical spinal decompression therapy?

Non-surgical spinal decompression is motorized traction used to relieve back pain by gently stretching the spine to change the spine’s force and position. Taking the pressure off the spinal disks is the main objective of stretching the spine. The herniated or bulging discs retract, thus take the pressure off the nerves. Non-surgical spinal therapy promotes the movement of oxygen, water, and nutrient-rich fluids to facilitate the healing of the disks. Even if the process is effective, other alternatives to back and leg pain instead of surgery include:

• Physical therapy

• Exercises

• Limited rest

• Bracing

• Steroid injections

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

• Acupuncture

• Chiropractic

How non-surgical decompression therapy is done

During the entire non-surgical decompression therapy, you are fully clothed. At first, one harness is fitted around your pelvis while the other around your mid-section (trunk). For the process to commence, you can either lie facing up or down on a (decompression table) computer-controlled table depending on your condition or doctor’s directions. Your doctor then operates a computer that has customized treatment as per your needs.

Each session can last 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the type and severity of your condition. With patients experiencing different back pain problems, one may need 20 to 28 treatments for five to seven weeks. Before or after non-surgical decompression therapy, you may have to undergo other types of treatments such as:

• Heat or cold therapy

• Ultrasound- refers to the use of sound waves to generate heat that promotes healing

• Electrical stimulation – the use of electric current to make specific body muscles contract

Finally, after spinal decompression therapy, ensure you follow the recommended full treatment plan like stability exercises and muscle strengthening. If you are experiencing shooting pain down your leg, have pain on your lower back, or experience sharp pain in your limbs, spinal decompression therapy could be the solution. Finally, researching and getting professional advice is vital before making any decision.