If you wonder if you can benefit from spinal decompression therapy, read on in this blog brought to you by Kinetic Spine & Sports.
What Is Spinal Decompression Therapy?
When a person is in good health, physical activities such as walking and running provide the discs between the vertebrae with oxygen, water, and essential nutrients, while helping to push out waste and toxins. However, when pain is present, it can be difficult to do everyday tasks, meaning the discs in the spine are not receiving the nourishment they need, potentially leading to degeneration.
Spinal decompression is a form of motorized traction which can be used to alleviate back pain. It does this by carefully stretching the spine, which alters its positioning and the force placed upon it. This change reduces the pressure on the spinal discs, which are the gel-like cushions between the bones in the spine, through creating a negative pressure.
This has the effect of allowing herniated or bulging discs to retract, thus removing pressure from the nerves and other structures in the spine. While this process is only slight each time, the cumulative effects are quite remarkable. The decompression process replicates natural movement, allowing the disc fibers to absorb oxygen, nutrients, and push out waste, thus allowing them to heal.
What Are Spinal Discs And How Can They Benefit From Care?
The discs between the spinal vertebrae (bones) are made of soft cartilage. They start in our upper cervical spine (neck) and go all the way down to our lower lumbar (low back). One of the primary reasons our discs are so prone to injury is that they do not have a good blood supply. Blood brings much-needed oxygen, nutrients and removes waste from a healing area, whereas bones have a rich supply of blood and can heal quickly and even be stronger than before. Without a good blood supply, our discs remain susceptible to degeneration when injured.
Spinal decompression offers several advantages, such as increased disc space, reversed pressure that facilitates the absorption of nutrients, water, and oxygen, decreased irritation on the nerve roots, and gentle stretching and relaxation of tense muscles in the area.
What Conditions Can Spinal Decompression Treat?
- Herniated discs. In this condition, part of a disc pushes on a nerve.
- Degenerative discs. This occurs when the cushion between vertebrae begins wearing out.
- Bulging discs. In this condition, the cushion between vertebrae bulges out.
- Pinched nerves. When a nerve gets pinched or compressed, this can cause pain, tingling, or numbness.
- Spinal stenosis. This condition is characterized by the narrowing of spaces in your spine as the result of bulging or herniated discs, or bone spurs.
- Sciatica. This is characterized as damage to your sciatic nerve.
Can I Benefit From Spinal Decompression Therapy?
When determining which method of care is right for you, there are various elements to consider. Your provider at Kinetic Spine & Sports will make an informed recommendation based on your health background and the severity of your injury.
If you have been diagnosed with a fracture, tumor, abdominal aortic aneurysm, advanced osteoporosis, or have metal implants in the spine, your provider will suggest an alternative care route that does not include spinal decompression therapy.
Kinetic Spine & Sports Is The Best Choice For Your Needs
At Kinetic Spine & Sports, we offer individualized and personalized patient care so that patients can get better in less time, with longer-lasting results. Dr. Danieley is ready to help you with MLS laser therapy, sports injury, general chiropractic, and extremity treatments. Our clinic is the only chiropractic office in the South Charlotte area to offer MLS laser therapy.
If you are experiencing back pain due to a sports injury, a medical condition, or daily life habits, reach out to Kinetic Spine & Sports to make an appointment. At Kinetic Spine & Sports, we are dedicated to alleviating pain, restoring health, and enhancing human performance with a focus on the treatment and rehabilitation of sports injuries. Contact our office in Weddington, NC and call 704-849-0344 today.
