Sometimes the
answer to pain relief isn't to dose yourself up on pills (although for many,
that is the easiest and yes, most effective, option). Similar to the way
massage can help relieve sore muscles and improve flexibility, chiropractic
decompression is an option for relief when it comes to back pain.
What Exactly Is
Chiropractic Decompression?
It doesn't sound
like a very gentle procedure, does it? Thankfully it doesn't necessarily
involve invasive surgery. Instead, decompression is achieved by using a
traction table or a similar motorized device. Despite this scary-sounding
aspect (you may be imaging something from a horror movie set in a dungeon), the
basic principle of spinal traction remains.
What Happens During
A Decompression Session?
When you attend a
chiropractic decompression session, you'll remain clothed while you lie on the
traction table. A harness is placed around the hips and attached to the lower
half of the table, near the feet. This part of the table moves, and your upper
body remains still. Depending on the device used, you'll be asked to either lie
face-down or face-up.
The chiropractor
will use the traction table or other device to stretch and relax your spine
intermittently in a controlled manner. The idea is that this controlled
stretching and relaxation creates pressure within the discs of your spine
(known as negative intradiscal pressure). There shouldn't be pain after the
procedure is over, although you should feel the stretch in your spine.
What Are The
Benefits And Who Should Not Undergo Decompression
Besides pain
relief, chiropractic decompression is theorized to provide an optimal healing
environment for herniated, bulging, or degenerating discs. This is achieved by
promoting retraction or re-positioning of the bulging or herniated disc. This
should lead to lower pressure in the disc itself, which then leads to an influx
of healing nutrients and other substances into the disc.
As with any
treatment, there are risks. Blood clots, infection, bleeding, and even nerve or
tissue damage rank among the risks associated with this treatment. Some have
also reported that they developed an allergy to anesthesia after undergoing
decompression therapy.
If you're pregnant,
had spinal fusion, have broken vertebrae, suffered an abdominal aortic
aneurysm, or have had multiple back surgeries without pain improvement, you
should not have this procedure done. People with conditions such as spinal
tumors, spinal stenosis, osteoporosis, spinal infection, or any other condition
which may compromise the integrity of the spine shouldn't undergo
decompression.
If you have neck or
arm pain and experience worsening of your symptoms, you should discontinue
decompression therapy. Generally speaking, anyone who feels pain following
decompression therapy should not continue.
