Lower Back Pain Info

What Is Spinal Decompression Therapy

Spinal decompression therapy is a type of non-surgical means of decompressing the spine. This is an important distinction because the phrase "spinal decompression" is usually taken to mean the surgical alternative.

What Is It?

Also known as vertebral axial decompression, it is basically a modern form of a long used cure for back pain: traction. Traction is the pulling apart of the vertebrae which can help relieve pain in conditions such as slipped discs, herniated discs, worn discs, sciatica and more.

Traditional traction is of the "static" type. This means that a force is applied and eventually released. Although this can give good relief, the problem with this older type of traction is that there can be side effects such as muscle spasms.

Powered Intermittent Traction

The first difference with this newer technique is that the force applied is intermittent i.e. it is applied and then released in cycles. This prevents the problems associated with static traction mentioned above. It is also thought that the cycling also allows nutrients to be flushed into your discs.

Pressure

With regular traction, the pressure on the discs between your vertebrae is reduced and this usually gives pain relief.

The practitioners of spinal decompression therapy claim that it can even apply negative pressure to discs. This means that if you have a herniated disc then the fluid and other constituents can be drawn back into it, thereby reversing your original problem to some degree.

How Much Does It Cost And What Are The Results?

As with most back treatments it varies quite a lot. You can expect to pay between $35 and $100 per session but you will require several treatments, typically anywhere from 20 to 50 sessions.

Some patients report immediate benefit, others need around 20 sessions to experience it while others still may not report any benefit at all.

Controversy

Although spinal decompression apparatuses are FDA approved, there remains little clinical data that this therapy actually works. Studies have been few and far between and have shown little to no real measured benefit. Come providers of spinal decompression therapy have even been pursued in the courts for making unsubstantiated claims. As a result, few insurance companies are willing to pay for this treatment.

Despite this, these machines are becoming extremely popular in the offices of chiropractors and other back specialists. Some patients are even purchasing their own at a cost of several thousand dollars.