Information About Spinal Decompression Shavano Park Back Pain Sufferers Should Know

By Janine Hughes


It can be very frustrating for people who have to cope with chronic back or neck pain on a daily basis because it can greatly restrict their actions and make movement difficult. One treatment option for this condition that has shown some positive results in patients is spinal decompression. If interested in non-surgical or surgical spinal decompression Shavano Park, TX patients need to discuss this treatment with their doctor to determine if it is suitable.

This procedure gently stretches the spine, altering its force and position. The non-surgical approach uses motorized traction to accomplish this. Pressure on the spinal disks is alleviated, allowing easier movement with less discomfort, and improved flow of oxygen and nutrients which encourages healing of the affected areas.

Chiropractors as well as medical doctors may refer patients to this treatment if they have been suffering with long-term back pain and also in some cases of acute pain such as an injury. Disorders which have shown improvement through the application of this procedure include sciatica, worn spinal joints, pathology of the spinal nerve roots, and bulging or herniated disks. Normal protocol is to attempt non-surgical techniques first.

During the treatment, patients can wear their usual clothes, and will be positioned either face up or down on computer-controlled table. The doctor will secure them by fastening a harness around both the pelvis and upper torso. Decompression is controlled to specifications for the patient's case and it will last between 30 and 45 minutes. It is most often necessary to attend 20 to 28 treatments over a 5 to 7 week length of time. Other therapies may be implemented as well such as electrical muscle stimulation and hot and cold therapy.

There are some patients which will not be considered good candidates for this form of treatment due to the nature of their particular condition. These people will be referred for another pain management approach. If a patient is pregnant, has a tumor or fracture, metal implants in the spine, or suffers from an abdominal aortic aneurysm or advanced osteoporosis, decompression is contraindicated.

Some types of back pain, in particular that which is caused bony growths of the spine known as osteophytes or disk problems that do not respond favorably to non-surgical therapy, may be addressed through surgery. Patients who continue to experience numbness, tingling, weakness, and pain can often get relief by undergoing surgery to relieve pressure on the nerves of the spine.

The surgical method implemented depends on the patient's symptoms. Although collectively these operations share a common goal of easing pressure in the spine, they differ from one another. They can involve the excision of a small section of disk or bone, or sometimes the complete removal of a damaged disk.The space which encloses the nerve roots may also need to be enlarged.

Sometimes the only way to know if a patient will benefit from surgical decompression is for him or her to undergo the operation and simply wait and see. Many will note an improvement and reduction in pain, while others may feel no differently than before the surgery. Much like all forms of surgery, this procedure does carry some risks such as nerve or tissue damage, bleeding, infection, clot formation, and allergic reaction to anesthesia, but these are quite uncommon and it is generally safe.




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