Why Spinal Decompression Therapy Can Help Herniated Discs

Written By Natural Healing Arts Medical on November 30, 2017

Spinal Decompression Therapy may sound so painful – almost as painful as herniated discs. To understand how this treatment therapy can help alleviate the pain of herniated discs, it’s important to first understand what disc compression is and how acute the symptoms can be.

The vertebrae, or bones, that form the spine have little cushions between them called discs. These discs help protect the spine and allow it to be flexible. When one of these discs is injured or damaged – either of which can happen from an accident or illness – part of the disc material can break off or form a bulge that presses against a nerve or nerves along the spine. Although commonly referred to as herniated disc, it can also be called a bulging disc, ruptured disc, or pinched nerve. Whatever you choose to call it, injured discs can cause excruciating and debilitating pain.

How Does Spinal Decompression Therapy Work?

Spinal Decompression Therapy is a treatment that stretches the spine using a traction table or other motorized device. The basic principle behind this method is to create space between the vertebrae to promote a repositioning of the affected disc, which in turn alleviates pressure on the spinal nerves and reduces or eliminated the related pain.

Surgical spinal decompression, more commonly known as laminectomy or discectomy, is entirely different from non-surgical spinal decompression therapy and can only be performed by a qualified neurosurgeon.

Herniated discs, which can affect any part of the spine but most frequently occur in the lower lumbar region, can cause pain, numbness, and weakness in the arms and legs. Several different therapies can be applied to treat the resulting pain, including physical therapy, chiropractic care, cortisone injections, surgery and a variety of pain medications.

A Costly and Time-Consuming Treatment

Spinal Decompression Therapy is typically performed in a series of 15 to 30 individual treatments. Each treatment can last up to 30 to 45, minutes and the procedure is usually conducted in the practitioner’s office. The cost of this therapy can vary widely from region to region, with rates from $30 to $200 per session. Not all insurance companies cover spinal decompression therapy, or they may only cover a portion of the treatments. That said, it’s best to discuss the cost of therapy with your chiropractor before starting a course.

Used in tandem with other therapies for herniated discs, spinal decompression therapy can provide lasting relief from the debilitating pain caused by this type of spinal injury.

Posted In: Chiropractic Spinal Decompression