Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Facts About Spinal Decompression Shavano Park Patients Will Find Helpful

By Janine Hughes


It can be very frustrating for people who have to cope with chronic back or neck pain on a daily basis because it can greatly restrict their actions and make movement difficult. One treatment option for this condition that has shown some positive results in patients is spinal decompression. If interested in non-surgical or surgical spinal decompression Shavano Park, TX patients need to discuss this treatment with their doctor to determine if it is suitable.

The objective of this procedure is to alter the position and force of the spine slightly by gently stretching it. When this happens, it has the effect of reducing pressure on the disks between the vertebrae, facilitating easier movement, and increasing flow of oxygen and nutrients which are needed for proper healing.

Both physicians and doctors of chiropractic medicine may recommend this form of treatment for patients experiencing acute or long-term pain in the spine or back. Conditions it has been known to help include bulging or herniated disks, disease or injury of the spinal nerve roots, worn spinal joints, and sciatica. Usually non-surgical decompression is attempted before proceeding to a surgical approach.

Patients can wear regular clothes for this procedure. They will be placed on a special table which the practitioner will control using a computer. Lying on either the back or belly, the patient will then be strapped in with harnesses around the pelvis and upper torso. Treatment times vary between 30 and 45 minutes, and they are usually done as a series, consisting of about 20 to 28 sessions spread out over a 5 to 7 week period. Sometimes other forms of therapy are combined with this treatment such as hot and cold applications or electrical muscle stimulation.

If the use of decompression is contraindicated, the physician will take another approach to the patient's pain relief. Certain conditions rule out this type of therapy including advanced osteoporosis, abdominal aortic aneurysm, fractures, tumors, metal implants in the spine, and pregnancy.

Back pain resulting from osteophytes, which are bony growths on the spine, or stubborn disk problems which have not improved through non-surgical intervention, may require a surgical approach to remedy it. In particular, those patients who report persistent weakness, pain, tingling, and numbness may experience a positive outcome from surgery which alleviates pressure on the spine's nerves.

There are different types of surgical spinal decompression which may be performed depending on the particular symptoms the patient is experiencing. Sometimes it is necessary to excise a small portion of either a disk or bone, or it may be necessary to increase the size of the space through which the nerve roots run, or totally remove a disk altogether. All of these measures are done to relieve pressure in the spine.

Even though there are no guarantees that a patient will enjoy a notable improvement following surgical decompression, many surgeons go ahead with the operation. The relatively small risks of surgery are standard to most similar procedures and the potential benefits for the most part outweigh them.




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