Back pain is a very common symptom that over 80 percent of Americans will experience in their lifetime. Decompression therapy is a relatively new therapy that many have turned to in an effort to treat the pain. The therapy is designed to treat very specific causes of back pain, such as a herniated or bulging disc, sciatica, facet syndrome and degenerative disc disease. The therapy is not appropriate for acute low back or neck pain.
Function
The therapy utilizes a computer-controlled table that the patient lays on either supine or prone. The patient is secured to the table with straps and the computerized head slowly pulls the table apart causing a traction effect on the lumbar spine. The computer will cycle through periods of traction and relaxation, causing a pumping action within the spine and discs. Patients are able to rest comfortably on the table during treatment and report that the treatments are generally painless. Decompression therapy is completely non-invasive and does not require the use of needles or drugs.
Types
There are several different types of decompression tables on the market for doctors to choose. Some of the most common brand names are VAX-D, DRX-9000, Chattanooga Triton DTS and Lordex. The doctor you choose to seek treatment with may advertise his services by mentioning the brand of table he has, but each table is FDA cleared and all work essentially the same way, with treatment outcomes fairly similar. More important than the brand of table used, is how experienced and competent the doctor is in its use.
Effects
The traction at the spinal level causes the vertebra to separate a few millimeters, which in turn causes a negative pressure to develop within the spinal disc. This negative pressure can help pull the herniated or bulging portion of the disc back into its normal confines. In addition to reducing pressure, the therapy can also help stimulate healing of a torn disc through increased blood flow. Successful treatments will reduce pain and improve range of motion.
Considerations
Spinal decompression therapy is not for everyone who experiences low back pain. Your condition must be properly diagnosed, which, in most cases, will involve advanced imaging such as MRI. This treatment is not a one-time procedure and may require 20 or more treatments with a frequency of three times per week. Decompression therapy is also typically expensive, with costs in 2010 averaging $3,500 for a typical 20 visit course of treatment.
Benefits
The primary goal and benefit of utilizing spinal decompression is the avoidance of surgery. Spinal surgery is invasive and carries with it a series of risks. Treatment outcomes with spinal surgery to repair a herniated disc have been shown to have mixed results and many patients who choose surgery will not have their pain relieved and may require additional procedures later. This is due in part to the fact that surgery does not repair the primary cause of the herniated disc--it only removes the offending portion of it. Spinal decompression not only reduces pain, but increases blood flow, increases range of motion and helps heal torn or damaged discs. Spinal decompression therapy can be a successful, non-invasive alternative to spinal surgery.
