What is Spinal Decompression?
Spinal decompression is a treatment to relieve pressure on one or many “pinched nerves” in the spinal column. It can be achieved either surgically or by non-surgical methods. Spinal decompression is used to treat conditions that cause chronic backaches such as herniated disc, disc bulge, sciatica, and spinal stenosis.
What is the Non-surgical Method of Spinal Decompression?
A safe and non-invasive form of spinal decompression therapy nearly 15-24 treatment sessions to achieve the best results.
When undergoing spinal decompression, you will be made to rest on a therapeutic table. This is connected to a computer, which sends electronic information to stretch and decompress the spinal structure. A padded harness is worn and during the spinal decompression session, gentle force is applied to the spinal column, focusing on the area that is being treated. The pressure is applied to decompress the spine, intervertebral discs, and joints. You will experience multiple cycles of treatment lasting for 2-3 minutes at each spinal decompression session. The machine is monitored by a technician.
Even though you may experience relief in a single therapy session, you should complete the full treatment cycle plan to gain complete healing of the injured disc.
What is the Surgical Method of Spinal Decompression?
Surgical spinal decompression is performed by two procedures:
- Microdiscectomy: This is a minimally invasive procedure that involves the removal of a portion of a herniated nucleus pulposus by a surgical instrument or laser.
- Laminectomy: This is a procedure in which a small portion of the arch of the vertebrae is removed to relieve pressure on the pinched nerve. This is performed as a last resort when conservative treatments fail to provide relief from back pain.
