Spinal Decompression Treatment

Spinal decompression therapy is a viable back treatment option for some conditions such as chronic neck pain, lumbar back pain and sciatica pain. Decompression therapy is also used to treat degenerative disc disease, being a less invasive option than an operation. Many people who suffer disc disease causing lumbar pain get amazing lower back pain relief without surgery with this kind of spinal treatment.

But what exactly is spinal decompression? It is a means of gently stretching the spine so that pressure on the pinched nerves that is caused by a herniated disc is relieved. To undergo this form of low back pain treatment the patient is strapped to a table that moves in response to a computer. This stretches that portion of the spine that is causing the problem and allows the herniated disc to return to its proper position so that it no longer presses against the nerve.

When a disc is herniated or bulges out of its proper position it cannot heal itself because its position means that the supply of nutrients that should be flowing to it for healing is blocked. But when the spine is gently stretched the disc can slip back into its proper position and the pressure on the nerve is relieved. Spinal back pain is greatly relieved without the risk of surgery.

This spine treatment is used for sciatica pain treatment and neck pain relief as well as many other back pain problems. These sciatica treatment or sciatica pain relief procedures are quite effective and help the patients get back to normal and healthy life.

Spinal decompression surgery on the other hand, involves many and various procedures where actual surgery is performed on the spinal cord to relieve the pressure caused by such things as bony growths, herniated discs, loosened ligaments or thickened joints, all of which cause pain and irritation. Other symptoms may include numbness, tingling, weakness, unsteadiness and bowel or bladder dysfunction.

Risks associated with such surgery can include blood clots, infection, nerve or tissue damage, bleeding and perhaps allergy to the anaesthetic.