About 30 years ago a brilliant neurosurgeon by the name of Norman Sheely decided that there had to be something besides surgery to heal chronic low back pain. He came up with a special traction machine that gently pulls the spinal bones apart. This virtually painless treatment lasts about 20 minutes. It is much more effective if done in conjunction with a chiropractic adjustment. If you reorganize the spine and pelvis first you will remove the underlying causes of herniated or bulging discs. When the adjustment is done first and then the herniated disc is nudged back into its proper location using spinal decompression we can expect 70-80% improvement. Here you have a safe alternative to surgery, which has only roughly a 50% chance of working.
Does Insurance Cover Spinal Decompression for Back Pain?
Plain and simply no, insurance does not pay for spinal decompression. It takes years for insurance companies to recognize a valid treatment. Most people pay for their care out of pocket or use health savings accounts.
How many Spinal Decompression Treatments are Needed for Chronic Back Pain?
Usually, 20-24 sessions of spinal decompression are enough to get the disc back to where it belongs. Each session lasts about 30 minutes and is followed up with physical therapy consisting of electric muscle stimulation and heat. The heat has an analgesic effect and the muscle stimulation helps the smaller spinal muscles contract. Studies indicate that spinal decompression for back pain has been reported to be 71-89% effective.
How Does Spinal Decompression for Back Pain Work?
When a disc herniates or bulges the disc puts pressure on the spinal cord or the spinal nerve. Either of these events can be quite painful. What spinal decompression does for the disc is that it creates negative pressure within the disc. The negative pressure creates a vacuum for the cerebrospinal fluid to re-absorb into the disc space. When you squeeze toothpaste onto your toothbrush there is a little that remains outside. When you relieve the pressure on the tube the toothpaste goes back into the tube. This is exactly how spinal decompression for back pain works.
What does spinal decompression feel like?
You really should feel very little the first few treatments. Your spine needs time to acclimate to the infusion of cerebrospinal fluid into the disc space. Think of a dried-out sponge on the side of your sink. You add some water to it and it puffs up to its normal size. That is the intention of spinal decompression for back pain. You may experience some soreness, usually, it is mild and short-lived.
The Back Pain Project
551 Post Raod suite 205
Darien CT 06820
203-656-3638
