Spinal decompression is a non-surgical, pain-free treatment that reduces or eliminates back pain, neck pain, radiating arm pain, and sciatica. When performed by Dr. Jaime Chica, spinal decompression therapy has a high success rate when it comes to alleviating pain, reducing numbness or other symptoms, and improving reduced mobility associated with spinal compression. Spinal decompression can even help some patients avoid back surgery.
What to Expect During Your Appointment
Spinal decompression involves stretching the spine to reduce pressure. The spine consists of several bones, known as vertebrae, which allow the back to twist, bend, and move in nearly every direction. Nerves originating in the spinal cord in the center of the spine protrude through small holes in the vertebrae and branch out to the rest of the body. Dr. Chica will apply rubbery discs between each of the vertebrae to prevent the bones of the spine from grinding together during body movement.
Time causes wear and tear to the tough outer coating of the discs, which can eventually get brittle and crack. The disc can herniate, or push outside its normal location to press against nerves and cause pain. Pressure from the vertebrae can also cause the discs to rupture. The gel-like interior of the disc can seep out and press against the nerves to cause pain.
Spinal Decompression Process
Spinal decompression therapy involves lying fully clothed on a special motorized table. The lower half of the motorized table can move. The chiropractor places a harness around the patient’s hips and attaches it to the lower table near the patient’s feet.
The upper part of the table stays in a fixed position while the lower part slides back and forth to provide intermittent traction to the harness and relaxation. The patient should not feel any pain during the treatment, but they should feel a stretching of their spine.
Decompression therapy often involves several treatments, which can last 30 to 45 minutes each, over a 4 to 6 week period.
The Benefits of Spinal Decompression
Spinal decompression is a safe, effective, non-surgical treatment for chronic low back pain, acute low back pain, neck pain, shooting arm pain, degenerative disc disease, bulging discs, and herniated discs. Spinal decompression can also help treat sciatica, a condition in which pressure on the sciatic nerve causes pain and numbness that travels down one leg.
For more information about spinal decompression, contact Columbia Pike Chiropractic at (703) 379-6300. Spinal decompression may be the right treatment to treat your neck, back, arm, or leg pain.
