Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression: What You Need to Know
If you have back pain, you're not alone. Eight out of every 10 Americans will experience back pain at some point in their lives. Lower back and neck pain can be especially difficult to deal with. This type of pain can negatively impact every aspect of your life, including your job, your sleep, and your ability to complete daily tasks.
Many people choose surgery as a way to cope with lower back pain. However, surgery can be expensive, and it's not recommended for all patients. Non-surgical spinal decompression offers an alternative to surgery for chronic neck and lower back pain.
Here at Vitality Health New York, your chiropractor in midtown Manhattan, New York, we see many clients with questions about spinal decompression. Here's what you need to know about this procedure.
What is Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression?
Non-surgical spinal decompression is a type of traction therapy. This procedure uses mechanical traction to take pressure off of the discs in your back. During the procedure, your spine is stretched using a mechanical table. The goal of non-surgical spinal decompression is to create a negative pressure within your discs, taking pressure off of your spine in order to eliminate pain.
How Does a Chiropractor Perform Spinal Decompression?
The process of non-surgical spinal decompression starts with the patient lying down on a special table and being attached to a harness. The upper part of the table is fixed, while the lower half can move. Your chiropractor controls the table's movements, which alternately stretch and relax your spine. Our patients find that spinal decompression is not painful. One spinal decompression session usually takes 25 to 30 minutes to complete. The number of sessions you will need depends on your individual condition.
What Conditions Does Spinal Decompression Treat?
Conditions that benefit from spinal decompression include:
- Sciatica
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Herniated disc
- Bulging disc
Spinal Compression Causes
What causes your spine to become compressed in the first place? There are several causes of spinal cord compression, including injury, degenerative diseases such as arthritis or osteoporosis, tumors, and bone spurs. It is important to discover the underlying cause of your spinal compression before attempting to treat it.
Symptoms of Spinal Compression
The first symptom of spinal compression you may notice is pain anywhere along your spine, including your neck and the lower and upper parts of your back. Additional symptoms may include:
- Numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arms and legs
- Stiffness in any part of your back
- Losing sensation in your feet
- Cramping in your hands, feet, arms, or legs
- Erectile dysfunction in men
Make an Appointment with an Experienced Chiropractor in Midtown Manhattan, New York
Vitality Health New York can help you live a pain-free life. To schedule your appointment today, call our Midtown East office at (212) 245-5688 or our Midtown West Office at (212) 245-5688. You can also request an appointment online.
