What to Expect During a Spinal Decompression Treatment
Spinal Decompression Treatment in Lanham, Maryland
What to Expect During Spinal Decompression Treatment
Back pain is nothing short of debilitating. If back pain is preventing you from doing the things you love and keeping you up at night, you may be relieved to know that there is an option for treating back pain that doesn’t involve invasive surgery and long-term use of pain medications.
Spinal decompression treatment involves stretching the spine slowly and gently, using a traction table. Chiropractors have relied on spinal decompression for years to relieve back pain and to create an environment in which inflamed and damaged areas of the spine can heal. At Effective Chiropractic PG County, we perform spinal decompression for a wide range of conditions, from degenerative disc disease to sciatica. With spinal decompression therapy, you can get the relief you need for your chronic back pain without the lengthy, painful recovery associated with surgery.
How Spinal Decompression Therapy Works
Spinal decompression therapy helps to ease back pain in a number of ways. Stretching the spine is thought to create negative pressure between the spinal discs. Chiropractors believe that this negative pressure will encourage any discs that have slipped out of place and are pressing on a nerve to retract to a healthier position. When the disc moves back into position and eases the pressure on the nerve, you back pain is likely to subside.
Spinal decompression therapy also provides space in the spine for healing nutrients to rush into the affected areas. Spinal discs that have become inflamed can benefit from these nutrients as they become healthier, and thus, are unlikely to bulge and cause pain.
Inside a Spinal Decompression Therapy Appointment
During a spinal decompression therapy session in Lanham, MD, you will lay fully clothed on a specialized traction table with a harness wrapped around the pelvis and trunk. Your chiropractor will use a computer to guide the table through movements designed to gently lengthen your spine. Each session lasts for between 30 to 45 minutes, and your chiropractor will customize your positioning and the movement of the table based on your specific needs. For instance, for cervical decompression for neck pain, the harness may also be used to move your head. The process is gentle, and most patients find the treatment comfortable. However, minor discomfort is possible during your first treatment if your condition is severe. Let your chiropractor know if you experience pain, so your treatment can be modified.
Most people can safely have spinal decompression therapy for back pain. However, you should talk to your chiropractor if you are pregnant or have previously had a spinal fusion or implant. Most people will need multiple decompression treatments, spaced out of the course of a few months, to achieve maximum pain relief and healing.
Supplemental Treatments for Back and Neck Pain
Your chiropractor may recommend additional treatments to supplement spinal decompression therapy. Chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, and dry needling may also help. Pulsed cold lasers can also help to reduce inflammation of spinal discs to ease pain.
Additionally, your chiropractor can help you with stretches and exercises to do at home to strengthen your back between treatment sessions, and make recommendations for diet strategies to support healthy healing.
Find Out if Spinal Decompression Therapy Is Right for You
Effective Chiropractic PG County offers spinal decompression therapy in Lanham, Maryland, alongside a range of chiropractic treatments, physical therapy, and more. To find out if spinal decompression therapy can relieve your back pain, contact us today to schedule a consultation.