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Decompression
Therapy for your Neck and Back Pain?
A
traction based procedure |
Do
you are suffer with low back pain, neck pain, carpal
tunnel? Have you been told you need back surgery? Decompression
Therapy is an effective treatment for these conditions.
It is very affordable and less expensive than surgery.
Read
our FAQs for more information
Decompression Therapy is the hottest
new therapeutic device for compression and disc syndromes!
The
Decompression-Reduction-Stabilization therapy is an
effective treatment for:
•
Herniated disc
• Degenerative disc
• Facet syndrome
• Sciatica
• Post-surgical patients
• Spinal Stenosis
Do you have a herniated disc, multiple herniated discs,
degenerative disc disease, facet syndrome, or any other
type of spinal problem? Is your doctor suggesting surgery,
Pain Management, or Physical Therapy? Have you tried
Chiropractic and just could not get enough relief? Come
to West Valley Chiropractic Ctr. for Physical Medicine and try out
the Decompression Traction System (Triton DTS).
Research indicates the disc is responsible for a significant
number of Lumbar/Leg pain and neck/arm pain syndromes.
Compression increases intradiscal pressure leading to
annular compromise and possible extrusion of nuclear
material.
Since the disc is an avascular structure, it doesn't
receive fresh blood and oxygen with every beat of the
heart. It requires "diffusion" created by
motion and 'decompression' to restore nutrients and
enhance healing.
Decompression is defined as reduction in pressure (intradiscal).
Recumbent positions (both prone and supine) decrease
intradiscal pressures in comparison to standing and
sitting. However focused, axial mechanical+Y translation
traction, (creating 'decompression' i.e. unloading due
to distraction and positioning) has been shown to reduce
disc pressure and enhance the healing response even
further.
There is some suggestion in the literature that extruded
nuclear material may be "drawn in" by the
reduction of intradiscal pressures. This concept however
is not uniformly accepted since the length of time the
material stays 'drawn in' has not been established in
controlled studies. However, a temporary reduction in
intradiscal pressure can still have a profound effect
on the healing process via increased contact with the
blood supply and fibroblast migration (so called phasic
effects). This is in addition to the pain relief created
neurologically by stretching soft tissue (e.g. stretch
receptors, mechanoreceptors etc.) make decompression
therapy a logical and viable addition to a "passive"
pain care regiment.
Clinically it is important to establish criteria both
in the utilization of Decompression therapy and in defining
its utility. (As with many therapies, hyperbole and
overstatement are common.) Axial Decompression (both
lumbar and cervical) is first and foremost a "passive"
therapy and as such has definite limitations in "curing"
a chronic musculoskeletal condition. Its value is most
specific in helping referral pain not solely low back
or acute low back pain (symptoms for which manipulation
has proven beneficial).
Loss of local muscle control, abnormal posture and alterations
in spinal curves are the probable underlying source
of most spinal 'compression' and degeneration. Therefore
a "passive" therapy has little effect in truly
fixing the underlying problem.
However, that being said, Decompression therapy (done
safely within established protocols and a clear understanding
of it's limitations) can often effectively enhance the
healing process and render quick, effective and often
amazing pain relief in a properly selected patient population
(many who have previously failed other treatments).
Additionally it may also be very useful in determining
the overall prognosis of passive care and expediting
the phase-in of rehab protocols.
Indications
and Use
Any non-acute (>1 week) low back or neck pain syndrome
not related to a disease process, canal stenosis or
acute strain/sprain injury is theoretically treatable
by decompression. Disc and facet pain can often be relieved
by early intervention with decompression. The acute
inflammation of injuries however should be reduced by
other means, in most cases, prior to beginning Decompression.
Contraindications are similar to manipulative therapy,
however since mechanical stretch creates no impact,
mild to moderate Osteoporosis may not be contraindicated.
(This holds true overall for frail and elderly patients
who could potentially be injured by manipulative thrusts.
Disc fragmentation, calcification, severe arthritis
and any surgical spinal appliances are all relative
contraindications.
Our clinical findings suggest Decompression will create
a relatively quick initial response. Patients who will
do well tend to feel a sense of relief (which can be
direct pain cessation or a centralization of pain and/or
reduction to an ache or stiffness) within six sessions.
Full relief, if attainable through this passive treatment
will usually be in 8-12 sessions. (Occasionally a 'stubborn'
pain syndrome may continue to improve slowly over 15+
sessions though this is not the norm). Often patients
will be treated 4-6 sessions and notice enough relief
to allow active rehab to begin. Their Decompression
may continue (pre or post rehab depending on the methods
chosen) for 4-6 further sessions before discontinuing
or reducing the frequency.
Typical frequency is 3-5 times per week. The extent
and seriousness of the symptoms will determine if more
than three sessions per week should be utilized. Our
experience suggests Decompression is also an excellent
supportive or maintenance treatment for those cases
where pain relief is marked but prone to exacerbations.
The Triton DTS represents the finest Decompression Traction
System available today. Cervical, lumbar, and wrist
Decompression Traction can be delivered utilizing the
Triton DTS in a controlled and proven method.
Decompression therapy is very affordable and cheaper
than surgery. Spinal Traction is highly recommended
by Neurological Research. It was found that out of 778
cases of patients receiving spinal decompression 92%
said that they showed improvement (Neurological Research;
Volume 20, Number 3, April 1998).
Spinal Disc Decompression, utilizing Decompression-Reduction-Stabilization,
is a unique, non-surgical therapy developed for the
treatment of chronic lower back pain, herniated discs
and degenerative disc diseases.
The Decompression-Reduction-Stabilization therapy is
an effective treatment for:
•
Herniated disc
• Degenerative disc
• Facet syndrome
• Sciatica
• Post-surgical patients
• Spinal stenosis
The Spinal Decompression Table in conjunction with additional
modalities effectively relieves the pain and disability
resulting from disc injury and degeneration, by repairing
damaged discs and reversing dystrophic changes in nerves.
Spinal Disc Decompression addresses the functional and
mechanical aspects of discogenic pain and disease through
non-surgical decompression of lumbar intervertebral
discs. Studies verify the significant reduction of intradiscal
pressures into the negative range, to approximately
minus 150 mm/HG, which result in the non-surgical decompression
of the disc and nerve root. Conventional traction has
never demonstrated a reduction of intradiscal pressure
to negative ranges; on the contrary - many traction
devices actually increased intradiscal pressure, most
likely due to reflex muscle spasm. The Decompression
Table is designed to apply distraction tension to the
patient’s lumbar spine without eliciting reflex
paravertebral muscle contractions.
By significantly reducing intradiscal pressure, Spinal
Disc Decompression promotes retraction of the herniation
into the disc and facilitates influx of oxygen, proline
and other substrates. The promotion of fibro elastic
activity stimulates repair and inhibits leakage of irritant
sulphates and carboxylates from the nucleus. The most
recent trial sought to correlate clinical success with
MRI evidence of disc repair in the annulus, nucleus,
facetjoint and foramina as a result of treatment and
found that reduction of disc herniation ranged between
10% and 90% depending on the number of sessions performed,
while annulus patching and healing was evident in all
cases.
The most recent clinical study of 778 patients has showed
that Disc Decompression Therapy was more than 70% successful
in the treatment of herniated discs, degenerative disc
disease, facet syndrome, and sciatica. In this same
study, 92% of patients had a reduction in their pain
of at least one point on the 0 to 5 scale.
Frequently
Asked Questions
What
is Spinal Decompression Therapy?
Spinal decompression therapy is a non-surgical, comfortable
traction therapy for the relief of back and leg pain
or neck and arm pain. During this procedure, by cycling
through distraction and relaxation phases and by proper
positioning, a spinal disc can be isolated and placed
under negative pressure, causing a vacuum effect within
it.
What can this vacuum effect do?
The vacuum effect accomplishes two things. From a mechanical
standpoint, disc material that has protruded or herniated
outside the normal confines of the disc can be pulled
back within the disc by the vacuum created within the
disc. Also, the vacuum within the disc stimulates in
growth of blood supply, secondarily stimulating a healing
response. This results in pain reduction and proper
healing at the injured site.
What machine is used for this
purpose?
There are a number of spinal decompression machines
presently used in the United States. After significant
research, Hopkins Clinic for Physical Medicine has chosen
to use the Triton DTS machine manufactured by Chattanooga,
Inc., the premier manufacturer of physical therapy machines.
Who can benefit from Spinal Decompression
Therapy?
Spinal decompression therapy is designed to unload the
spinal disc. Any back pain or neck pain caused in whole
or in part by a damaged disc may be helped by spinal
decompression therapy. These conditions include herniated,
protruding or bulging discs, spinal stenosis, sciatica
or radiculopathy (pinched nerves).
Are there conditions where Spinal
Decompression is not indicated?
Spinal decompression therapy is usually not recommended
for pregnant women, or patients who have severe osteoporosis,
severe obesity or severe nerve damage. It is not recommended
for patients over 70. However, every patient is evaluated
on an individual basis. Spinal surgery with instrumentation
(screws and metal plates or “cages”) is
also contraindicated. Surgery to the discs without fusion
or fusion using bony replacement is not contraindicated.
How often do I take treatment
sessions? How long does each session last?
Each session includes decompression therapy and spinal
stabilization exercises and takes about 1 hour. Spinal
decompression is usually performed 3-5 times a week
for 15-20 sessions.
What are the results of Spinal
Decompression Therapy?
Over 70% of patients have good pain relief. This success
rate is similar to surgical results.
I have had spinal surgery, but
continue to have pain. Can I try Spinal Decompression
Therapy?
Spinal decompression therapy can help people with back
pain after failed spinal surgery. It can be performed
in most patients who have not been left with an unstable
spine after surgery.
Interested in decompression therapy
with Dr. Kaldy?
Simply call our office at 702-212-3333 and tell the
receptionist that you are interested in decompression
therapy. An initial consultation can usually be scheduled
within 48 hours.
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