Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression

Today, you don’t have to live with that pain anymore. Thanks to the concerted efforts of a team of top physicians and medical engineers, Spinal Decompression was developed to effectively treat lower back pain and sciatica resulting from herniated or deteriorated discs. Spinal Decompression not only significantly reduces back pain in many patients, but also enables the majority of patients to return to more active lifestyles. 

Spinal Decompression has been proven effective in relieving the pain associated with bulging and herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, sciatica, and even relapse or failed back surgery. Since its release, clinical studies have revealed an amazing success rate in treating lumbar disc related problems with Spinal Decompression.  It is a mechanized pain reduction and healing system that after many years of research, studies have shown to be up to 86%-91% success rate in reduction of disc herniation pain and symptoms.

Spinal Decompression uses state of the art technology to apply a distraction force to relieve nerve compression often associated with low back pain and sciatica.

Contact our office today to schedule an initial consultation with our Doctor to determine if you are a candidate for care with Spinal Decompression. After carefully studying your case history and exam findings, he will sit down and explain his recommended plan of action for you. After answering any questions you may have about the recommended plan, you may begin your care with Spinal Decompression.

People with the following conditions are ideal candidates for enrollment into the decompression program and have the potential of achieving quality outcomes in the treatment of their back and neck pain: (1) Herniated or Bulging Discs; (2) Nerve Compression; (3) Lumbar or Cervical Disorders; (4) Low Back or Neck Strains; (5) Sciatic Neuralgia (Sciatica); (6) Injury of the Lumbar or Cervical Nerve Root; (7) Degenerative Discs (unresponsive to four weeks of conservative therapy); (8) Spinal Arthritis; (9) Low Back Pain w/ or w/o Sciatica; (10) Degenerative Joint Disease; (11) Facet Syndrome; (12) Myofasciitis Syndrome; (13) Disuse Atrophy; (14) Lumbar Instability; (15) Acute Low Back Pain; and (16) Post-Surgical Low Back Pain (recurrent pain from a failed back surgery lasting more than six months, without hardware).

Patients with low back pain or neck pain who have had no success with conventional therapy and who are considering surgery should utilize Spinal Decompression. Surgery should be considered only following a reasonable trial of the spinal decompression protocols.

Patients who undergo the full four to six weeks of the treatment protocol will obtain the best results. A patient must be at least at least 18 years of age to undergo spinal decompression treatment. 

Although spinal decompression is an inherently safe procedure that can be used without complications, patients with the following problems or symptoms are usually excluded from using this treatment: Pregnancy, Prior lumbar surgical fusion, Metastatic cancer, Compression fracture of lumbar spine below L-1, Pars defect, Spina bifida, Aortic aneurysm, Pelvic or abdominal cancer, Disc space infections, Severe peripheral neuropathy, Hemiplegia, Paraplegia, Cognitive dysfunction, Cauda Equina syndrome, Tumors, Osteoid osteoma, Multiple myeloma, Osteosarcoma, Infection, Osteomyelitis, Meningitis, Virus, and HNP (sequestered/free floating or extruded fragment), Severe Osteoporosis, Spondylolysis, Spondylolisthesis (Grade 2 or higher), Vertebral fractures, Unstable post surgical conditions, any kind of surgical hardware, pathological lesions or congenital deformities of the vertebral column that disrupt the integrity of the vertebral and ligamentous structures.

Traction disperses the pull of weights among the majority of spinal segments reducing the actual amount of pull necessary to create negative pressure within each segment. Traction can also cause the adjacent muscles to spasm placing more pressure on the disc.

Spinal Decompression isolates the specific problem disc by its unique angle of distraction (or pull). It creates a negative pressure within the disc space, which draws fluid, nutrients and oxygen into the disc helping it to heal. The unique method by which it distracts the spinal segments eliminates the reaction of the neighboring muscles so that they do not spasm.

Most patients are scheduled for 20-30 treatments over a 4 to 6-week period. The typical patient may feel relief as early as the first 5 to 8 treatments. However, it is important to finish the entire protocol to allow for proper healing. Pre and post treatment MRIs have shown 50% reduction in the size and extent of herniations after 6 weeks of treatment. Clinical studies have shown that 86% of patients with disc problems reported relief with Spinal Decompression treatment. 

The spinal decompression protocol of visits generally relieves the nerve compression syndrome and restores functional capacity. Experience has shown that the vast majority of patients who recover with decompression generally remain in remission. However, some individuals whose lifestyle or work environment tend to expose them to higher risk factors, have found that a follow-up or maintenance/retention program of decompression sessions offers a measure of protection against disabling exacerbations of their back pain syndrome. Patients in this category usually develop, in consultation with their physicians, their own rhythm of maintenance visits that keeps them free of problems. The onset of osteoporosis, particularly in senior patients, may also necessitate maintenance treatments.

Treatment protocols are based on research and research studies. Each treatment builds on the progress made at the previous session. Treatments are scheduled 1 to 3 days apart so as not to lose ground on that progress, especially in the earlier sessions. Treatments at one day apart are optimal for best results.

Eighty-to-ninety percent of patients who have been properly selected and comply with the entire spinal decompression protocol have good-to-excellent chance for a positive outcome. Patient conditions that do not respond quickly to the therapy are often unable to be helped by anything quickly. Patients vary in age, sex and body type and may require counseling in weight loss, nutrition and other lifestyle changes for optimal results.

Recent studies comparing spinal decompression to standard physical therapy including traction, exercise, muscle stimulation, ultrasound, massage, and heat and ice showed spinal decompression to be more effective in terms of perceived pain reduction, debilitating pain reduction, cumulative strength index and overall outcome.

Extensive clinical studies have been conducted to validate spinal decompression treatment. Thousands of back pain patients have been successfully treated. Nearly a full year practical in-the-field analysis by participating physicians nationwide has been conducted.

The following are samples of the published studies:

Practical Pain Management Magazine: 
C Norman Shealy, MD, PhD reviews the evolution of back pain technology and presents results of a study utilizing differential dynamics rehabilitation. Based on author’s review of recent study results, inter-vertebral differential dynamic rehabilitation appears to be the current optimal recommendation for most lumbar pain syndromes.

America Journal of Pain Management (AJPM) Vol. 15 No. 3 July 2005: 
The study is called A Retrospective Clinical Pilot Study: Long-term Effect Analysis of IDD Therapy® in Low Back Pain. It was conducted by C. Norman Shealy, MD, PhD, Nirman Koladia, MD, and Merrill M. Wesemann, MD. The objectives of this study were (i) to produce a follow-up to the Shealy and Borgmeyer Study, (ii) to evaluate long-term benefits of IDD Therapy® treatment, and (iii) to determine any benefits of IDD Therapy® in comparison to other treatment options. The authors stated: “A direct conclusion that can be drawn from the data is that improvement in pain continues after the treatment sessions are completed.

Orthopedic Technology Review: 
The study was titled: Surgical Alternatives: Spinal Decompression and conducted by Thomas A. Gionis, MD, JD, MBA, MHA, FICS, FRCS, and Eric Groteke, DC, CCIC. This clinical outcomes study was performed to evaluate the effect of spinal decompression on symptoms and physical findings of patients with herniated and degenerative disc disease. Results showed that 86% of the 219 patients who completed the therapy reported immediate resolution of symptoms, while 84% remained pain-free 90 days post-treatment. Physical examination findings showed improvement in 92% of the 219 patients, and remained intact in 89% of these patients 90 days after treatment.

6-Month IDD Therapy® Patient File Review: 
Results of 6-month patient file review of patients who had IDD Therapy® at Monmouth Advanced Medicine Clinic showed 93.6% of their patients obtained total pain relief on with spinal decompression. Emory University is currently conducting a single blind clinical trial and there are many more in the works.

Alf Nachemson, MD, PhD; MTG Newsletter, October 1998 
Degenerative disc disease can be effectively treated with spinal decpompression because repeated decompression promotes the diffusion of water, oxygen, and nutrients into the vertebral disc area, thereby naturally re-hydrating and rehabilitating degenerated discs. In the case of disc herniation, the negative pressure may induce the retraction of the herniated or bulging disc, leading to relief of pain. Multiple treatment sessions on the machine are required to achieve optimal results.