5 reasons to treat your back pain with Spinal Decompression Therapy

Are you tired of relentless back pain that can’t be treated?

If you experience chronic back or neck pain, the Rolling Stones song title, “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” may sound all too familiar. Throughout the world, millions of people suffer from back or neck pain.

As Physiotherapists who specialize in back and neck pain, we have come to understand that patients’ unrelieved pain is a prison. One of sorts that prevents them from pursuing basic everyday activities such as employment, family recreation or playing the sports they love. 

And yet, despite continued efforts to relieve their pain, people often find no relief.

Some of the most common frustrations we hear clients say when they visit us, include:

• Taking pills only temporarily mask their pain
• The side effects from pills are unbareable
• Painful injections work the first time and now have no effect
• Doctors say their only option is surgery
• Previous surgery only ended up making things worse

Well, we have some good news. Clinical studies and medical specialists are also in support of an alternative to invasive surgery. Particularly for one that provides long-lasting relief from back and neck pain without the complications and risks associated with surgery. 

In this post, we’ll discuss the alternative, Spinal Decompression Therapy and highlight 5 reasons that support its use, backed by the growing body of medical evidence.

First the stats on back and neck pain

Back pain is one of the most common reasons for going to the doctor. More than 10% of visits to primary-care physicians are attributed to this problem

Approximately 25–60% of patients who experience low-back pain (LBP) will report a recurrence of pain, many within as little time as one year

In Australia, chronic low back pain is increasing faster than any other disability. For instance, five-to-seven percent of the population report their back problem as a chronic condition.

Medical doctors are saying failed back surgeries are occurring at an “alarming rate.”

Many failed back surgeries will need up to 3 further surgeries; even successful surgeries may need future surgeries.

Actual pain reduction from surgery is shockingly low. One study has found that 70% of people still experienced pain post-surgery.

What surgeons consider success in a surgery is not the same as what patient’s consider success. Ultimately, almost half of surgical patients are disappointed with the results after only 2 years.

Those are some shocking statistics…

What are the most common causes for back and neck pain?

Spinal discs in your neck and back act like shock absorbers for the spine in a manner similar to the shock absorbers in a car. 

Injury to the disc is one of the most common causes leading to neck pain, back pain and sciatica (pain shooting down the leg). 

It is believed that increases in disc pressures resulting from heavy lifting, lifting and twisting and postural forces and changes are important factors in the development of back pain.

Too much pressure on a disc or pressure in the wrong direction can cause the disc to bulge, herniate, or “slip”, irritating the sciatic nerve that runs all the way down your leg.

Conservative medical care revolves around modalities such as cold laser, ultra-sound, exercises, stretching, chiropractic manipulation, anti-inflammatories, and even highly addictive medications.  However, when it comes to treating the disc itself, these modalities have limited value and most simply offer little, if any benefit for a disc-related issue.

If the disc is a major source of back pain, then it follows that applying specific, targeted therapy for the treatment of the disc should improve patient outcomes.

Spinal Decompression for Back and Neck Pain

Without further ado, we have compiled 5 compelling reasons why Spinal Decompression is the best therapy to treat your back and neck pain.

1. Spinal Decompression treats a range of conditions that cause back and neck pain

Spinal Decompression technology treats symptoms of back pain due to:

• Herniated Discs
• Bulging Discs
• Pinched Nerves
• Sciatica (leg pain)
• Degenerative Discs
• Spinal Stenosis
• Post-Surgical Pain and more…

2. Spinal Decompression is non-invasive

Spinal Decompression achieves decompression by using a bed that uses a specific combination of movements. These movements include changes in:

• The force of pull
• The angle in degree of pull, and
• The time in order

This reversal of pressure creates a vacuum inside the disc that helps to draw in bulging discs and extruded disc material back into place. This takes the pressure off pinched or irritated nerves.

Nutrients, oxygen, and fluids are drawn into the disc to create a revitalized environment conducive to healing for both herniated and degenerated discs. 

 A spinal decompression specialist will determine a specific treatment plan based on individual needs. This is based on the patient’s body weight, tolerance, level of severity and duration of symptoms.

Watch our video here, which shows the effects of Spinal Decompression Therapy on the spine.

3. Your condition can be treated in less than 3 months

A typical Spinal Decompression treatment protocol consists of about 12–20 sessions over four to six weeks. Some conditions however require considerably less.

Many patients report relief from their pain and other symptoms during the first few treatment sessions. Most people experience dramatic relief after the completion of their prescribed treatment program. 

An analysis by a Physio will provide you with the exact amount of sessions needed to treat your specific condition.

4. Success rates for treating back pain are HIGH

So you may be thinking does Spinal Decompression really work? 

Most research articles as well as practising Spinal Decompression specialists report success rates to be between 71% and 89%. This success rate is defined as taking an average patient from a 6-10 (out of 10 on a pain scale) down to a 0-3 at the end of the treatment protocol.

Research shows Spinal Decompression reduces disc herniation size up to 90% in a majority of patients while decreasing pain by 90%

5. Relief from Spinal 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.

Take, for example, the article, “The Treatment of 100 Cases With Articulating Traction Decompression & Specific Patient Posturing Including 12 Month Follow-up” performed by Ryan M. Rosenthal, and Igor Russo. It had been demonstrated that 95% of the total group reported completed and reported significant relief. 

Thus, the overwhelming majority of patients benefited from this treatment, with only 2% going on to need back surgery.

But what was most impressive is that when these patients were contacted 1 year later, the majority surveyed maintained significant relief of their spinal condition. 80% of those surveyed maintained a visual analog pain score between 0-3 out of 10. The satisfaction level revealed that the majority (86%) of the patients were “satisfied” with their treatment.

Come and try Spinal Decompression Therapy

By now, hopefully, you have drawn a simple conclusion. When considering treatments for back and neck pain, you have now have a choice. 

We have provided you with objective information concerning the causes of most back and neck pain. Also. we have shown you the relative success of Spinal Decompression.  Now it is time to weigh the risks and rewards and draw your own conclusion about what is best for you or for a loved one.

Want to begin your life free from back and neck pain? Book your initial Physiotherapy session below and start your treatment today!