What is Spinal Decompression
Spinal decompression is a remedy for chronic back pain. Spinal decompression is a broad term used to describe a variety of traction remedies that decompress the spine. Spinal decompression therapy is a widely accepted term used for spinal decompression performed in a clinical setting, using state of the art technology.
The cause of back pain often stems from incorrect posture, usually from standing or sitting in a slouched position. Over time, the vertebra along the spine compresses, causing pressure on the spinal nerves. Moreover, muscles become misaligned as a result of the spinal compression and cause further pain, spreading from the local region of the back to other areas of the body. The pain felt in other areas of the body could stem from pinched nerves between the compressed vertebra or tension from misaligned muscles. Other muscle groups may feel the pain such as those in the neck, shoulders, hip, and other areas. Once back pain begins, it worsens until the spine no longer compresses or receives some form of relief from the pressure. This requires spinal decompression.
Spinal Decompression Treatment at Home
You can treat spinal compression at home using traction devices and other techniques that separate the vertebrae and relieve pressure on nerves. These include yoga and stretching exercises, back stretchers and extenders, traction devices, and inversion tables. Yoga balls placed strategically along the spine, and trigger point tools that apply more pressure than the yoga balls, are effective tools for relieving pain caused by spinal compression. For many, these remedies relieve mild to moderate back pain. However, those with chronic back pain should see a specialist before using these methods at home or discontinue treatment if back pain worsens to prevent further harm or damage the spine.
Spinal Decompression Therapy
Spinal decompression therapy performed in the clinical setting works for many patients. In fact, studies show that spinal decompression therapy works about 71 percent of the time for those suffering from relentless back pain, such as those with bulging spinal disks. Spinal decompression therapy in a clinic uses state the art equipment to maneuver the spine to the precise spinal curvature for the individual patient. The American Spinal Decompression Association reports that almost 91 percent of patients receiving spinal decompression therapy for chronic back pain receive some level of improvement, while echoing the results of previous studies that about 7 out of 10 patients who have herniated discs report good results.
These visits require repeated visits, costing about $200 a session, and most patients need about 20 sessions. Few patients may not receive spinal decompression therapy in a clinical setting, and some of those patients include those who are pregnant, paraplegics, those with fractures and pelvic cancer, among others determined by the clinician. Some patients do not respond to spinal decompression therapy or therapy is unsuccessful. Once the muscles become misaligned, it is difficult to get them back into proper position.
Solutions for Back Pain
Prevention is the best therapy, and often the most economical. Treating your back at home can relieve back pain and avert potential spinal conditions that may require invasive surgery. Home remedies could cost from a few dollars for a yoga ball to several hundred dollars for an inversion table. Economical inversion tables may run as low as 100 dollars, and you can use this equipment for strength training too.
Correct posture and regular stretching exercises keeps the spine healthy and muscles aligned correctly. Treating pain when it first occurs is another effective way of averting serious problems later on. You can save money and use resources provided at little or no cost. Try hanging upside down on the monkey bars at your local park. This is an effective traction method for those who regularly work at the desk or have recently experienced some minor back pain. Practice walking with a book on your head, or keep it on while working at the desk, to maintain good posture.
References
- Cheryl Myers (self) trainer and fitness instructor
- Neurological Research Outcome on Study
