What is Spinal Decompression?
Spinal decompression is a revolutionary computer-aided technology that helps treat the symptoms of low back and neck pain from herniated, bulging, degenerated and slipped discs. Spinal decompression is FDA-cleared and has been around for more than ten years. There have been more than 10 successful research studies on spinal decompression and there are currently more than 5,000 clinics in the U.S. and Canada that are performing spinal decompression treatments. Every day more and more clinics are adding spinal decompression as an alternative to surgery for patients suffering from herniated, bulging, degenerated, and slipped discs. Even when physical therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, pain pills and shots have failed, most patients still receive dramatic pain relief in 4 to 6 weeks of spinal decompression.
According to Harvard Medical School, Sciatica is one of the most common, but misunderstood, types of pains you can experience. Up to 40% of the population will have Sciatica pain at some point during their lifetime
The sciatic nerve is the longest and largest in the body. When it is inflamed, the condition is called sciatica (pronounced si'ad-a'ka). Not all leg pain is sciatica, but most sciatica involves leg pain. Sciatica sufferers often have severe pain along the sciatic nerve path, usually in the back of the legs and thighs, although sometimes the pain is felt in the ankle, foot and toes.
Occasionally pain is felt in the front or side of the legs, in the hips, or for some hapless sufferers, in both legs. Apart from pain, parenthesis or pins-and-needles, burning, tingling, prickling, crawling sensations or tenderness may be felt. Ironically the painful leg might feel numb as well!
Sciatica is hell to sufferers. Sleeping, sitting, walking, bending, turning or standing up may be difficult or at times impossible.
Have you been suffering from lower back pain or sciatica? Have you been told you may need surgery?
If you have lasting back pain and other related symptoms, you know how disruptive to your life it can be. You may be unable to think of little else except finding relief. Some people turn to non-surgical spinal decompression therapy.
Spinal decompression works by gently stretching the spine. That changes the force and position of the spine. This change takes pressure off the spinal disks, which are gel-like cushions between the bones in your spine, by creating negative pressure in the disc. As a result, bulging or herniated disks may retract, taking pressure off nerves and other structures in your spine.
DISC PROBLEMS/BACK SURGERY
The term "slipped Disc" is a misnomer.
It is impossible for the disc to actually slip...
What can "slip" are the vertebrae.
"Slipped discs" should be called "slipped vertebrae."
Discs are little pads that lie between the vertebrae; each disc has a tough outer ring (annular fibrosis) and a soft gel-like center (nucleus Tintervertebralhe pulposi).
The discs separate the vertebrae and, because they're knitted into the bones, also join them together. They act like little shock absorbers, cushioning the bones so they don't crash against each other as you walk, which would be very painful. Discs help give the spine its curve, flexibility and strength. The 23 discs in your spine also make up about a third of the length of the spinal column and that's why you are about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch taller in the morning than you were the night before; the discs flatten out a little after a day of standing and then regain their volume when you sleep.
Disc Herniation, Protrusion and Prolapse
There are two types of herniations: protrusions and prolapses. A protrusion can occur if the nucleus pulposi bulges, pushing the annular fibrosis out of shape. A prolapse occurs if the nucleus bulges out so much that it actually separates from the rest of the disc.
If the prolapsed disc goes into the spinal cord or puts pressure on nerves, it may cause severe pain that could make sitting, standing, walking, lifting, urinating, defecating, sneezing, coughing and moving nearly impossible. In extreme cases, foot or leg numbness or a loss of muscle control may occur. However, only a small number of those with low-back pain have any disc problems.
Back Surgery
While spinal surgery is sometimes necessary, especially in cases of trauma or severe bone, disc and nerve destruction (due to a variety of causes, from infection to cancer), the vast majority of people with low-back pain and/or sciatica never need it.
Failed Back Surgery Syndrome
Of the thousands of surgical procedures done each year for ruptured discs, medical authorities admit that a large number are unnecessary and useless, with many of those who have back surgery in the same or worse pain after the operations. They have Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS). To make matters worse, if surgery is ineffective the first time, a second or third operation will not help. Even successful operations could cause scar tissue, permanent spinal weakness, distortion and instability.
Bulging Disc-Chiropractor in Woodbridge, Ontario
How do we treat these conditions?
Spinal adjustments
Specific, gentle realignment of the spine using hands on, droptable, and instrumentation to open nerves that may be the true cause of your pain.
Therapeutic Exercises
Specific to your condition and long term improvement, exercises will be done in office and at home to strengthen your body and spine into a new healthy version.
Whole body vibration
WBV provides added benefits to your care in better posture, improved circulation, muscle tone, metabolism, bone density and lymphatic drainage.
Spinal Decompression Therapy
For patients with severe back pain, sciatica or disc herniations, studies have shown that spinal decompression therapy has proved to be more effective than other therapies. Spinal decompression therapy uses a medical technology that applies a distraction force to the targeted compressed disc. This gently pulls the spine apart, elongating it and creating a small vacuum between the vertebrae, which pulls the disc back into shape. This vacuum also allows water, oxygen and nutrient-rich fluids to enter into the disc to allow the spine to heal and relieve the pain. The medical term for this vacuum-like effect is known as negative intra-discal pressure.
SUCCESS Gallery
Answers to Sciatica and Low back pain
Spinal decompression therapy is a non-surgical therapy that causes the relief of pressure on one or many pinched nerves (neural impingement) of the spinal column. It uses a medical technology that applies a distraction force to the targeted compressed disc. This gently pulls the spine apart, elongating it and creating a small vacuum between the vertebrae, which pulls the disc back into shape. This vacuum also allows water, oxygen and nutrient-rich fluids to enter into the disc to allow the spine to heal and relieve the pain. The medical term for this vacuum-like effect is known as negative intra-discal pressure.
Spinal decompression has proven to be safer and more effective than drugs or surgery. In fact, spinal decompression has in many cases been more effective than chiropractic care alone when treating severe disc herniations.
Patients are fitted with a harness that fits around their hip area as well as a harness that fits around the upper back. Once fitted with the harnesses, the patient lies down on a computerized table, programmed for their specific treatment plan. Each treatment takes about 20 to 30 minutes. The procedure is painless and extremely comfortable.
The typical treatment plan ranges from 24 to 28 sessions over eight weeks, with most patients experiencing vast relief in as little as six sessions.
The typical way to treat severe sciatica, disc bulges, herniations and back pain is through medication and injections. The problem with this treatment is that it only masks the pain without addressing the cause of the pain. Although you may feel better, your spine has not been healed and this can lead you to do things that injure your spine further. Additionally, medications are associated with risk and side effects, especially with prolonged use.
For a safe, natural way to treat your condition, call our office in Woodbridge to see if Spinal Decompression Therapy is right for you. You will have a complete and thorough medical history and physical exam, as well as diagnostic x-rays of your spine. These tests will help to determine if you are a good candidate for spinal decompression.
