Spinal decompression
Before scheduling your lumbar decompression surgery or ending up with the idea that you will suffer from back pain caused by your slipped disc for the rest of your life, take a look at the advantages of non-surgical spinal decompression therapy and what this procedure has to offer you.
Non-surgical spinal decompression therapy is a non-invasive option that you can undergo by consulting with your doctor or whenever your orthopaedic surgeon feels it necessary. Still, many people only use it as a last resort before undergoing surgical procedures and other unwanted non-surgical treatments.
Spinal disc injuries bring many neck-and-arm and lumbar pain syndromes. Excessive daily activities raise the pressure inside the spinal bones, which can cause the material of the spinal discs to protrude, herniate, or bulge, resulting in bulging or slipped discs.
This exerts pressure on the spinal cord or nerves, aching your body. We can often assist these patients in getting rid of their long-lasting nerve or back pain without spinal fusion surgery.
In this article, you will learn what spinal decompression surgery is and how it can help you relieve your pain.
What is spinal decompression?
Spinal decompression is a nnonsurgical therapeutic method orminimally invasive surgery that efficiently cures low back and neck pain by reducing pressure on the nerves. This kind of physical therapy is highly effective tin relievingnerve pressure brought on by bony arch, affected tissues such as tumors, degenerative spinal discs, and herniated discs in the spine. Spinal decompression therapy uses traction and body orientation to decompress spinal discs and facet joints. Sometimes, the lumbar decompression procedure involves removing a section of bone to treat compressed nerves.
How spinal decompression can help
The spinal discs lie between the backbone’s vertebrae around the spinal canal. TThey containa gel-like material ihat provides a cushioning effect against spinal compression.
However, these spine discs dehydrate with age, reducing the amount of cushioning between slipped discs, the prolapsed or bulging disc between two or more vertebrae, thus compressing the spinal nerves. And that’s where spinal decompression therapy comes to play. This therapy uses moderate forces in the form of damaged spinal disc presses to reduce the stress from the spine, which lowers disc pressure.
In some cases, the severe pain caused by spinal tumours compressing the spinal nerves, the nerve stimulation can help you to relieve pain.
This procedure results in enhanced blood flow that removes any blood clot developing or previously formed blood clot in your joints. The spine is also periodically stretched and relaxed during the pre operative assessment appointment before going for the further surgery.
Spinal decompression reduces nerve pressure
When the therapy reduces pressure on the spinal discs, it generates a negative intradiscal pressure that repositions the material from the herniated disc or repositions the damaged disc itself. Particularly if your back pain is due to excessive physical stress, spinal decompression therapy may relieve pain and inflammation in spinal disks and bones in the lower back and avert the need for surgery. Moreover, this is especially true for people who experience persistent pain that is due to the involvement of nerve root.
How to hasten the treatment
To hasten the effects of the therapy, Spinal Decompression Therapy may additionally incorporate additional adjuvant treatment alternatives, such as:
- Heat treatment
- Cold treatment
- Electrostimulation
Does spinal decompression really work?
Yes, it typically does.
Recent popular medical literature reviews have shown that over 75% of patients who receive spinal decompression surgeries experience positive clinical outcomes, and most of the patients experience long-lasting pain relief and effective pain management after completing the full course of treatments.
Safe and non-invasive procedure
However, it can be tough for you to believe that a safe, non-invasive, pain-free surgical treatment is available to assist you in treating your back pain when painkillers or steroid injection shots fail to deliver much-needed pain relief from chronic back pain. Back pain and related symptoms of lower leg pain, such as sciatica, can be safely and effectively treated using spinal decompression therapy, which relieve pressure on your spinal cord or nerves.
Get rid of your discomfort
Hence, you don’t need to endure crippling discomfort. And you also don’t want to undergo high-risk surgical interventions when such an effective and non-invasive procedure is available to eliminate your condition.
Whether you have a variety of symptoms of underlying nerve spinal injuries such as neck pain, sciatica, a pinched nerve, lower back pain, spinal stenosis, syndromes of the lumbar and cervical spine, or pain from spinal fusion that radiates into the arms or legs, you might benefit from spinal decompression.
What happens during a spinal decompression?
You lay on a decompression table, and the machine slowly pulls your spine into place. This procedure aids in relieving the pressure that causes the discs in your spine to slip out of position, preventing the discs from impinging on adjacent nerves.
Spinal decompression uses computer system
You will be fitted with a support system after reclining on the cozy decompression traction system table for a while. The support structure aids in-body stabilization. We can target the precise spinal discs that are generating your pain and discomfort because the computer-controlled device automatically adapts to the exact angle of pull.
The distracting forces use a computer-controlled logarithmic curve to prevent reflex actions that would cause muscle spasms. The split table design reduces friction and enables spinal disc decompression.
The Triton DTS’s computer replicates an anti-gravity effect on your spine while resting on the table, assisting herniated disks and spinal disc material to return to their proper place and alleviating pain and pressure on the spinal nerves. Patients frequently describe the procedure as a mild, occasionally painful pulling sensation.
How can I decompress my spine naturally?
The following procedures can help you relax in the comfort of your home while decompressing your spine.
Bar Hang-Ups
There is no better spinal decompression workout for you if you have a pull-up bar at your home. It involves hanging yourself from a bar. And you benefit from spinal decompression and pain relief.
To begin this workout, you must first locate a pull-up bar that is extremely sturdy. Grab the bar with your arms outstretched and hang your body from it.
Gradually relax your muscles to increase the amount of your weight hanging from the bar. Hold the bar steady for around 30 seconds. As you slowly place your feet on the ground, release your grip on the bar.
Repeat the method four to six more times and two to three daily after a minute-long pause.
Stretchy cat pose
This one is one of the most fundamental yoga poses that is good for the spine. This yoga pose strengthens the muscles around the spine and improves blood flow.
You must kneel on the ground and extend your arms and legs. Your shoulders, hands, and hips should all be straight.
Start by lengthening your spine from your tailbone up to your neck. Then, while inhaling deeply, slowly arch your back by placing your head between your arms. Next, make a reverse “C” shape with your back.
Breathe out slowly, tilting your head up, letting your back and stomach sink toward the floor. The procedure must be repeated for at least ten cycles.
Baby Pose
Another relaxing exercise to decompress and relax your spine is this one. Your spine is effectively stretched and opened up.
Before moving backward and resting on your heels with your feet on the floor, you must first get down on your hands and knees. Your knees must be widely spaced because your abdomen should rest between them.
To stretch your spine thoroughly, strive to lower your torso as much as possible. Your palms should face the ground as you extend both arms parallel to your head.
Hold this position for about 30 seconds for maximal decompression before slowly moving your hand first to the left and then to the right.
Prayer Stretch
Practically the entire stretch is done on the floor. It is one of the audience’s most beloved stretches because of its fantastic effects.
Ideally, on a mat, lay down on all fours to begin the workout. While lying on your knees, your hips should contact your heels. The next step is to advance while bending your hips.
Your spine will experience a larger stretch the more you bend. However, be cautious not to strain your spine by straining too much. Before returning to your knees, hold the stretch for around 30 seconds.
Repeat the workout after a minute-long break. The prayer stretch should be done two or three times daily.
Positional Decompression
This position relieves some stress from your spine rather than serving as a workout for spinal decompression.
It would be best if you first lay flat on the ground. Place a chair right next to you at this point. The chair’s corner should be placed on the back of your knees as you slowly place your lower legs on it.
Spend at least five minutes in this position before relaxing, and it will relieve pressure on your spinal cord.
What are the negative effects of spinal decompression?
Most patients usually don’t show any significant negative effects. However, the most frequently reported side effect of non-surgical spinal decompression is dull pain for the first week or two.
The reason for this is that the muscles are stretched lengthwise during non-surgical spinal decompression, which is not how the body is accustomed to being stretched, so they hurt in a dull manner.
In addition, spinal traction has been linked to:
Muscle spasm
Stretching of nerve roots in the muscles during decompression surgery sometimes leads to a sharp pain which is different from nerve pain. This pain is due to the spasm of the back muscles.
Fractured Vertebra
In case your pain is due to the fracture of your vertebrae, spinal decompression therapy can even worsen your pain. Also, if you have developed blood clots, then lumbar decompression procedure can dislodge the blood clots from their place and can cause pulmonary embolism.
Recurrence
Also, non-surgical spinal decompression reduces the pain in many patients. But there are cases when the relieving effects of the therapy are very short-lived, and your nerve pain comes back within a few weeks following the therapy.
Negative effects in pregnancy
If you are pregnant, then undergoing a spinal decompression surgery can be a challenging experience for you. Since the procedure stretches the back muscles, it puts pressure on the abdomen, which often develops severe pain in a pregnant patient. Also, the chances of any impairment in the pregnancy or congenital deformities in the fetus become high.
How do I know if I need spinal decompression?
The big question that must arise in your mind is whether you need spinal back decompression surgery or not. It’s essential that you must fall into the category that needs spinal decompression surgery. Otherwise, the spinal surgery will be all in vain. For that matter, here are the five conditions that you need to consider if you are thinking of yourself as a candidate for spinal back decompression surgery.
Your back hurts
If your low back and buttock hurt, especially when you try to rotate your back is a sign of a spinal column or disc issues. And a spinal column decompression can help you in relieving pain.
You are overweight
Being overweight is a liability to your body, and your bones and joint may have to pay the price for it. If you are overweight and you develop back pain as soon as you stand for a while. It means your backbone vertebrae are dislodged from their place and exerting extra pressure on your nerves due to your weight. And spinal decompression can relieve your pain by placing your vertebrae in their original place and relaxing your back muscles.
You suddenly develop sharp pain
If you are an athlete or an active person and you suddenly develop sharp pain in your back is a sign of disc herniation. In this case, going for spinal decompression is the best option available.
You are growing old
As you age, your joints undergo wear and tear. This is especially true for the joints in your backbone, which are holding you up throughout life and bearing your body weight. If you are aged, and your back pain is getting worse over time, then it’s time that you must consult your doctor regarding spinal decompression.
You feel tingling sensation in legs
If you feel a tingling sensation or numbness in your legs or feet, it’s a sign that your spinal nerves are being compressed at any point along their course. And this often happens when your spinal nerves exit the vertebral column between your vertebrae. And in this case, spinal decompression can help you to relieve symptoms by relieving pressure on your nerves.
One thing that you need to keep in mind is that these conditions may not be the only factors that qualify you as a candidate for spinal decompression surgery. We advise speaking with a skilled specialist to identify the root of the ailment if any of the six apply to you.
Prolotherapy
In recent years, prolotherapy has built its reputation within the medical community due to its clinically proven ability to treat spine pain.
Published research has proven its pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory and regenerative benefits.
Prolotherapy involves injecting a natural regenerative solution with small needles. This has been shown to reduce swelling, which helps with spine pain.
As prolotherapy is helping to treat the root cause of spine pain, it is deemed to be a permanent fix, preventing the symptoms from returning.
Takeaway
Spinal back decompression surgery is all about relieving pressure on your spinal nerves that, ultimately reduces your pain. This non-surgical procedure is a very effective therapy if you are facing back pain or pain in your legs due to sciatica or accidental injury. And, of course, having severe and persistent nerve pain that interferes with your everyday life is a condition that you must get rid of.
If you know that your pain is due to the compressed nerve, then spinal decompression is the best non-surgical option available to you. However, there are pros and cons to this procedure. So, you must consult your healthcare professional to undergo this procedure.