Back and neck pain are among the leading causes of health issues facing people today. More than 10% of visits to primary doctors are due to back or neck pain. The cost of such problems amounts to some $86 billion each year.
Over a quarter of patients with back pain complaints will see the same complaint again within a year. It is the most common cause of missed days work in the US. Patients who are out of work due to back pain for 6 months or more rarely return to work. It remains the most expensive cause of work disability in the country.
The problem is not confined to the US either. In Australia, it is the fastest growing condition. It accounts for over 50% of work loss and costs over $10 billion every year.
Back pain is a serious problem. Fortunately there are many treatment options. One such treatment option is our Springfield spinal decompression therapy.
What is Spinal Decompression?
The most conservative treatment options should always be tried first if possible. Chiropractic, physical therapy, acupuncture, pain injections, medications etc should be attempted first to try and help the condition.
If the patient isn’t responding then our Springfield spinal decompression may be considered. So what is it?
It is simply a computer aided technology which gently extends the spine to help decompress joints allowing any disc bulges or herniations to fall back into place.
It is FDA cleared and has a very good rate of success.
Many studies have been conducted and many are still on going to evaluate its success and improve on results. There are currently over seven thousand clinics in North America that offer the treatment and more are being added every year.
It is a great alternative to surgery and specifically helps bulging, herniated discs and conditions like sciatica.
What Conditions is it Good for?
Spinal decompression helps back pain sufferers, particularly those experiencing:
- Herniated Discs
- Bulging Discs
- Pinched Nerves
- Sciatica (leg pain) Degenerative Discs
- Spinal Stenosis
- Post-Surgical Pain and more…
How Does Spinal Decompression Work?
Spinal decompression therapy works by gently pulling on the spine at various angles depending on the condition. This slowly extends the spine allowing for a negative pressure to effectively suck any bulging or herniated disc back into position. With the disc back where it should be, any nerve that may have been trapped or infringed upon by the disc is also released and pain begins to subside.
Furthermore, oxygen, fluids and nutrients are also said to flow back to the area which helps increase the healing process.
Your doctor will evaluate you and take into account such things as weight, condition, severity of pain and location to determine the most appropriate protocols to apply.
Is Treatment Painful?
Our spinal decompression therapists fits each patient with a special harness and laid down on the machine bed. The machine is programmed based on the specific patient needs and will gently decompress the spine.
Depending on severity of the condition, some mild discomfort may be felt in early treatments but this will subside over the following sessions.
There is also a safety switch that patients can use if they are too uncomfortable. The treatment is safe and generally very relaxing. It is not uncommon for us to see some patients sleep during their treatments.
What is the Normal Treatment Period?
It depends on the severity of the condition, but treatment sessions can be anywhere from 20 to 25 sessions over a 4 to 6 week period. Each session lasts about 8 to 15 minutes.
Many patients feel a difference right away, while for others it takes a little longer.
Most feel much better after the treatment period.
Is Spinal Decompression Successful?
There are many studies and these are ongoing, but the general consensus sees a success rate of between 71% and 89%. These figures are based on a minimum starting pain point of 6/10 or more at beginning of treatment to a pain point of 3/10 or less at the end.
Those numbers suggest a very good success rate, especially if it avoids the need for surgery.
Discover some case studies on Spinal Decompression Therapy.
STUDY:
John Leslie M.D. and the Mayo Clinic 18th Annual Meeting American Academy of Pain Management, Tampa Fl Sept. 5 2007. Multi-center, phase II, non-randomized pilot study utilizing spinal decompression. Designed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of spinal decompression in the treatment of chronic lower back pain.
OUTCOME:
Patients enrolled – average of ten years of chronic back pain.
After two weeks of treatments of spinal decompression- 50% reduction in pain scores. Upon completion of the entire six week protocol success rate of
88.9% was documented.STUDY:
Norman Shealy CN, Koladia N, Wesemann, M. American Journal of Pain Management. Long-term effect analysis of IDD therapy in low back pain: a retrospective clinical pilot study. July 2005;75,(3).
OUTCOME:
Of 24 study participants, each reported consistent pain relief and continual improvement of symptoms one year later. Improvement in pain continued after the treatment sessions were completed.
STUDY:
Shealy, CN. Practical pain management: technology review. IDD Therapy. April 2005;5(3).
OUTCOME:
The treatment leads to satisfactory pain relief and improved quality of life in up to 88% of patients, many of whom have failed other “conventional” approaches. Based on the author’s review of recent study results, IDD Therapy ‘”appears to be the current optimal recommendation for most lumbar pain syndromes.
STUDY:
Eyerman E. MRI evidence of nonsurgical, mechanical reduction, rehydration and repair of the herniated lumbar disc. Journal of Neuroimaging. April 1998;8(2).
OUTCOME:
All but 3 of 20 patients reported significant pain relief and complete relief of weakness and immobility, when present. This study also shows a correlation between the improvement on the MRI and the reported improvement in pain.
STUDY:
Gose, et al.Vertebral axial decompression therapy for pain associated with herniated discs, degenerated discs, or facet syndrome. Journal of Neurological Research. April 1998.
OUTCOME:
778 cases
Average time between the initial onset of symptoms and beginning of treatment was 40 months
Data was collected from 22 medical centers in the USA
Pain was rated on a scale from 0-5 with severe pain being 5
Average was 4.2; Success was considered 0-1
Overall the treatment was successful 71% of the timeSTUDY:
Gionis T,Groteke E.D. Orthopedic Technology Review. Decompression using DRX 9000. November 2003.
OUTCOME:
219 patients with herniated discs and degenerative disc disease 86% showed improvement and resolution of their symptoms 92 % showed improvement overall
2 % relapsed within 90 daysSpinal Decompression is Long Lasting
The success rates of spinal decompression sound pretty impressive. But you may ask, “Will the results last or do I need to keep coming back every week for the rest of my life?”
Several research articles have demonstrated the long-lasting success of spinal decompression.
In the article, “The Treatment of 100 Cases With Articulating Traction Decompression & Specific Patient Posturing Including 12 Month Follow-up” performed by Ryan M. Rosenthal, DC, and Igor Russo, DC , 95% of the total group reported complete and/or significant pain relief. Thus, the overwhelming majority of patients benefited from this treatment. And only 2% went on to need back surgery.
To Summarize
Spinal Decompression Therapy helps patients suffering from the following conditions:
- Degenerated discs
- Herniated discs
- Sciatica
- Spinal Stenosis
- Torn Annulus
Treatment is:
- Effective and comfortable with minimal discomfort
- Lasts between 20 and 25 sessions over a 4 to 6 week period
- Takes about 8 to 15 minutes per session
- Has a 71% to 89% success rate in pain reduction
The long lasting effects of spinal decompression therapy are also very high.
A study followed up with patients a year after their therapy and found that 80% still felt they had a pain score of 0-3/10 as opposed to their higher 6/10 or more prior to treatment. 86% were satisfied with their treatment.
Other studies have also seen significant patient satisfaction rates a year after therapy.
Another study examined patient success four years after therapy. “Decompression reduces chronic back pain: a four year study,” Dr. Odell M.D., and Dr. Boudreau D.O. reported the following in Anesthesiology News, March 2003:
ABSTRACT: Excellent 4 year study results have been reported in a small series of patients with chronic discogenic low back pain with a spinal decompression device. Of the 23 patients who responded, 52% had a pain level of zero, 91% were able to resume their normal daily activities, and 87% were working or retired without having back pain as the cause of retirement.
This means that pain relief lasted and was maintained. Spinal decompression therapy works.
How Can We Help You at Back & Body Pain Relief in Springfield?
We offer spinal decompression therapy here in Springfield. If you feel you may be a candidate for it, ask yourself these questions:
Are you experiencing chronic neck or back pain?
Has your life been severely impacted? Can you work as you once did, has your social or sporting life been affected?
Have you tried conservative treatment options with minimal results? Things like chiropractic, physical therapy, medication, pain killing injections?
Do you have a diagnosis of sciatica, herniated discs or degenerative discs?
Please note that spinal decompression therapy isn’t for everyone. We will perform a thorough examination and review your medical history before any treatment decision is made. Spinal decompression therapy typically isn’t used if previous surgical fusion in the area of pain has been performed, if you have or had cancer in the spine or bones or if you are currently pregnant.
We are very careful to ensure the level of care you receive is right for your condition and if we feel we cannot help you ourselves, we will refer you on to the appropriate doctor or surgeon who can help.
WHY CHOOSE US?
At Back & Body Pain Relief, we have helped many patients since our opening in early 2019. Our sister practice in Manhattan, NYC has been open for well over a decade and has served thousands of patients as well.
Our state of art medical facility in Springfield offers a collaborative care approach. We not only offer spinal decompression therapy, but chiropractic, physical therapy, acupuncture, medical massage and more. If spinal decompression therapy isn’t for you, we can investigate other treatments specific to your needs.
Back & Body Pain Relief is a:
- Collaborative approach care facility
- Accept insurance for many therapies
- Have a state of art facility including gym
- Many doctors on staff to hand to help on a multi treatment approach if need be
If you have any additional questions about spinal decompression therapy in New Jersey to treat back and neck pain caused by disc bulges, disc herniations, degenerative disc disease, sciatica, bulging discs, arthritis of the spine or about chiropractic care in Springfield, NJ, please feel free to contact us.
