Marietta GA Chiropractor Talks about So the Deal with Spinal Decompression?

If you or someone you know has ever had a bulging or herniated disc, then you are likely familiar with the amount of pain and discomfort it can cause. However, you may not be as familiar with the various forms of treatment for these types of disc issues because there are so many different approaches. For most people, there are two main goals in mind: get out of pain and avoid surgery.

One option, becoming increasingly more popular due to its success rate at achieving both goals, is a treatment called Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression in Marietta GA. This technique involves the patient lying on his/her back on a mechanically automated traction table. Once the patient is lying down and strapped in, the table will gradually a targeted area of the patient’s spine where the disc injury is located.

You may wonder “Well that sounds like my inversion table at home, what’s the difference?” The difference is that, while your inversion table provides a nice static stretch for the muscles around your spine, the decompression table oscillates between stretching and relaxing the targeted disc. This oscillating feature is the key element to the treatment’s success.

The Importance of Vertebrae in Marietta GA

The discs in between your vertebrae act as cushions that can become flattened over time or even bulge out and press on the nerves coming from the spine. (For more info on how what the disc actually is click here.) Because discs are primarily avascular, meaning there is no direct blood supply, a healthy disc uses a pumping mechanism (imagine squeezing and opening a sponge in the sink) in order to pump out waste and absorb fluid and nutrition. By design, this pumping mechanism occurs all throughout the day as you are moving and walking.

However, once a disc is injured and movement is limited, the pumping mechanism becomes disrupted so the disc cannot receive the proper nourishment needed to properly heal. The oscillation of the decompression table imitates the pumping mechanism of the disc allowing water and nutrients to flow in and out as necessary. The oscillation also creates a negative pressure in the disc (fancy science term for suction) that can allow the herniated or protruding disc material to gradually return back into the disc and away from the nerves it may be compressing, thus reducing pain while further repairing the structural integrity of the disc itself.

Non-surgical spinal decompression treatment plans typically last 8-12 weeks depending on the severity of the disc and the compliance of the patient.

Dr. Ian Calk, DC

If you have any questions regarding spinal decompression or pain that may be disc-related, give us a call at (770) 552-7979. Bradford Family Chiropractic located in Marietta, GA.