Spinal decompression, also known as surgical or nonsurgical decompression therapy, is the process of gently stretching the spine in order to relieve back or leg pain. Patients most often turn towards this method of relief if they are experiencing pain sciatica, herniated disks, injured spinal nerve roots, or other serious injuries.
In nonsurgical therapy, the process is most commonly done with a traction table, which moves and twists to reposition your spines alignment. During this 30-45-minute treatment, the patient is simply lying either face down or face up (depending on the treatment), while a doctor does the alignment of the table to reposition the spine. This process may need to be done multiple times over a course of 5-7 weeks for effective results, but can be a large stepping stone towards spinal pain relief.
During surgical spinal decompression, pressure is relieved from the spinal chord or surrounding nerves. Although there are several types of this procedure that may be tailored for your situation specifically, it is often a last resort for many doctors. Much like any surgery, there are risks involved in the process; such as potential infections, bleeding, blood clots, or nerve damage. Although it may be complex to determine if the patient will fully benefit from this surgery, it has been beneficial before. Often times the healing time is long and will alter your lifestyle and day to day activities for quiet sometime.
NONSURGICAL SPINAL DECOMPRESSION
Before considering either of these two options, it is best to get the second opinion of an expert. If you’re interested in learning more about spinal decompression, our experienced & top-rated chiropractor Dr. Matthew Phinney of the Chiropractic Doctors would love to sit down with you, hear your story, and get you on the best track for pain relief. If in the Grand Rapids, MI area; feel free to stop by our office for more information. Or, contact us at (616) 432-3103, or [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!