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Spinal Decompression Therapy May Help Your Back Pain

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If you have back pain that's caused by problems with your discs, then you might benefit from spinal decompression. One type of decompression treatment is surgery that relieves pressure on the nerves in your spine. A more gentle type of treatment is spinal decompression therapy. This therapy might be able to correct your condition and relieve your pain without having to undergo back surgery. Here is some more information.

How Spinal Decompression Therapy Is Done

Spinal decompression therapy is usually done in a back specialist's clinic or physical therapy center in conjunction with other types of physical therapy. To receive a treatment, you recline on a computerized therapy table. The table uses technology that allows the amount of traction and body position to be tailored for your specific condition. The therapist or doctor positions you on the table and the table applies gentle traction on your spine to pull the discs apart slightly. You maintain this position for several minutes during each session. You'll have several treatments a week, and you may need to go to the clinic for a couple of months. The number of treatments you need and the length of time you take the therapy depends on your condition and how well you respond to the treatments.

Why The Therapy Helps

As soon as traction is applied to your spine, pressure is relieved on the nerves in your discs. This may result in instant pain relief. Your pain may be greatly reduced during the treatments, but you'll probably need a few weeks to feel sustained relief because you need to allow time for you spine to heal. Another benefit of spinal traction is that it allows blood flow to resume to a normal level in your spine and discs. The blood flow delivers oxygen and nutrients to the tissues so healing is accelerated. In this way, healing and pain relief happens gradually over the course of your therapy.

What Treatments Assist Healing

During your visit to the physical therapy clinic, you'll probably receive other types of therapy too. For instance, you may do exercises that strengthen your back muscles so your spine has better support. By doing this, you may be able to eliminate the problems that caused your back condition. In physical therapy, you learn proper posture, build stronger muscles, improve flexibility, and learn proper body mechanics so there is less risk you'll hurt your back when you work out or lift heavy objects. In addition, if you have severe back pain, some forms of therapy can help relieve the pain while your back heals. Your doctor or therapist may follow up your decompression therapy with heat packs on your back, electrical stimulation, or ultrasound therapy to help with your pain.

Spinal decompression therapy is a safe and gentle procedure, so it is worth looking into if you have back pain. The treatments may even be covered by your insurance. There are some situations where this type of treatment is not suitable, and it only works for specific types of back pain. The first step is to talk to your doctor, like Hiler Chiropractic and Vax-D Decompression Center, to see if the therapy is right for you.


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