About Spinal Decompression
Your spine houses your spinal cord, a bundle of nerves that carries messages between the brain and the body. If these nerves are compressed or damaged, it can lead to pain, restricted range of motion, muscle weakness, and dysfunction throughout the body. The discs between each vertebra serve as shock absorbers for the spine, allow for flexibility, and create space for the nerves to exit the spinal cord and service the body. They have a tough, fibrous outer layer surrounding a soft, gel-like center. Due to wear and tear, these discs can start to wear out and even collapse, putting pressure on the adjacent nerves and causing pain, numbness and tingling, muscle weakness, loss of sensation, and other nerve dysfunction.
A bulging disc occurs when the disc’s outer layer weakens or becomes damaged. As a result, the disc protrudes or bulges outward, extending beyond its normal boundaries. The bulge may press against nearby nerves or spinal structures, potentially causing pain and other symptoms. If the outer layer becomes so weak that it tears, the gel-like center can seep out of the disc and apply direct pressure on the nerves. This is a disc herniation.
Treatment for disc injuries, like a disc bulge or herniation, can vary widely. The traditional medical approach to treating disc injuries involves drugs and surgery to remove damaged tissue. The chiropractic approach presents a much sought-after alternative. Chiropractic offers a natural, non-invasive approach to correcting musculoskeletal problems and optimizing the nervous system to function and heal better.
$39 New Patient Special
Includes Consultation, Exam, Doctors Report of Findings, X-Rays (if necessary)
How Our Care Plan Works
1. Better
Initially, our number one priority is less pain, improved range of motion and better sleep. This is the active phase of the plan where we significantly tackle the acute phase of the injury to get you feeling your absolute best as quickly as possible.
2. Stronger
In the corrective phase, we work not only improve how you feel, but how you function. In this phase, we avoid taking two steps forward and ten steps back by focusing on structural correction. We want you to get back to doing the things that you love without re-injury. At GBC, we are foot on the gas!
3. Healthier
It doesn’t make sense to get you better, just for it to all go bad again! We want you feeling and functioning your best for years to come. This phase ensures that you maintain all of the amazing progress you have made.
What is Spinal Decompression Therapy?
Spinal decompression therapy reduces spinal pressure by moving the discs back into place and realigning the joints. This can be done through traction, a method that uses stretching and pulling to relieve stress on the spine. A traction table slowly pulls the patient, stretching their spine and relieving pressure on the discs. This can alleviate pain and, more importantly, allow the discs to rehydrate and heal. In the case of a bulging or herniated disc, the soft center, no longer feeling the pressure, can reabsorb into the disc, and the outer layer has the chance to heal.
A decompression session can take 10-15 minutes and is pain-free. Many patients report that decompression feels good, as it relieves stress on the spine that is causing pain and other symptoms.
Common conditions and symptoms that are effectively treated by spinal decompression include:
- Sciatica
- Herniated disc
- Bulged disc
- Spinal stenosis
- Degenerative disc disease
- Arthritis
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Shoulder pain
- Elbow pain
- TMJ
- Headaches
Who Can Benefit From Spinal Decompression?
Athletes, office workers, seniors, people injured at work, auto accident injury victims, and anyone suffering from back pain may benefit from this form of therapy.
Spinal decompression therapy may help athletes‘ performance, flexibility, pain relief and recovery, and muscle soreness.
Office workers, or anyone sitting for long periods, may be in danger of developing spinal compression through the pressure from prolonged sitting and bad posture.
Seniors typically deal with spinal issues as their bodies age, and their discs deteriorate. The therapy can help slow down this process and strengthen muscles and tendons, resulting in better flexibility and range of motion.
Accident victims can also benefit from spinal decompression therapy if they have some spine-related trauma.
Benefits of Spinal Decompression and Chiropractic Care in East Greenwich, RI
You can reduce back pain by decompressing pressure on nerves, muscles, and discs in your spine through spinal decompression therapy. It is easier to treat problems through this type of therapy as fewer risks are involved. There is no need to take time off of work to recover. In just 10-15 minutes, decompression can reduce muscle spasms and improve muscle strength and flexibility.
Spinal Decompression Therapy helps to improve your circulation by increasing blood flow to the area and allowing your heart to pump more efficiently. You will feel less tired after treatment as a result. You can move more freely and possibly even notice a change in your posture if you have upper back, neck, and shoulder issues.
Spinal decompression therapy is combined with chiropractic care to help patients improve their flexibility, range of motion, and overall health. You can see improvements after only a few treatment sessions, empowering you to return to your daily activities more efficiently.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is spinal decompression therapy?
This particular type of therapy is non-invasive and aims at reducing back or neck pain by gradually stretching the spine to reduce pressure on nerves by alleviating tension on spinal discs.
How does spinal decompression work?
Spinal decompression uses a mechanical device in providing traction to the spinal discs in order to encourage the intake of oxygen, water, and nutrients by the discs.
What conditions can be treated with spinal decompression?
Individuals suffering from herniated discs, bulging discs, degenerative disc disease, sciatica, facet syndrome, back pain, neck pain and spinal stenosis can benefit from decompression therapy.
Does spinal decompression therapy hurt?
Spinal decompression therapy is generally not painful, is mostly comfortable and, in most cases, painless. The patient might, however, feel some gentle stretching pressure during the procedure.
How many decompression sessions are needed and what is the outcome?
Usually, it is recommended to go through a course of 20 – 25 decompression sessions. The outcome varies from patient to patient but most patients report that they feel significant reduction in pain and an improvement in overall mobility.
Will DTS Therapy treatments hurt? Is it safe?
DTS Therapy treatments are one of the most gentle and comfortable therapies available. The treatments utilize equipment with proven safety and efficacy. Most patients report a mild sense of stretch on their back or hips, and often fall asleep during treatment sessions.
Is decompression therapy new?
Although traction therapy has been around for thousands of years, Decompressive Traction is relatively new. Advances in equipment and procedures have dramatically improved effectiveness. DTS Therapy is the most comprehensive program available, allowing the safe delivery of this previously hospital based therapy in our office. Continual improvements in the delivery system and regular updates in protocols keep the DTS in the forefront of non-invasive disc therapy. Each year over 50,000 patients are treated with DTS Therapy, a number that continues to grow.
Will my pain go away for good with decompression therapy?
Although it is difficult to predict the future our experience is that most patients do find long-term relief or effective management of their pain when they complete the entire program of treatments. Regular home exercise and periodic visits to our clinic will help in maintaining your spinal health and reduce the probability of reoccurrence. As with any comprehensive rehabilitation program your continued home care exercises and discretion in some daily activities is key to long-term relief.
How much does it cost?
Our office visits vary as to the extent of care needed, However we make care affordable for everyone (we are the most affordable in the area!) and promise to only do those procedures necessary for your fullest recovery.
$39 New Patient Special
Includes Consultation, Exam, Doctors Report of Findings, X-Rays (if necessary)
