A herniated disc can cause both excruciating pains and compromised mobility. Nobody wants to live with this combination of physical discomforts, so consulting a doctor and signing up for treatment is understandably the first move for many people. The most popular procedure for treatment remains to be surgery, and there is no denying that it works. However, there are some who do not take to the idea of being operated on. In addition to that, they worry about the related costs and the amount of downtime.
One of the recommended alternative treatments is spinal decompression. For those who are not quite familiar with this, it is a type of therapy wherein the spine is stretched using a combination of special equipment (decompression tables and motorized devices) and traction therapy. Spinal decompression Midtown chiropractors explain, is a less invasive treatment and a worthy consideration for people with a herniated disc because with modified manipulation (stretching), a herniated disc may retract, alleviating the pressure on the nerves and other structures in the spine which create the excruciating pains.
A properly carried out spinal decompression treatment can bring a great amount of relaxation (some people actually fall asleep during the treatment session) and promote faster healing due to the improved movement of water, oxygen, and other fluids that carry essential nutrients to the discs. Patients can even resume their old activities so much faster as well as pursue a more active lifestyle to increase their strength.
It is important to note, however, that as effective as this type of treatment may be, it is not constantly presented as an option to patients because the efficacy of spinal decompression is largely dependent on the gravity of the injury. Doctors would have to thoroughly assess the extent of the injury first before making a final determination if spinal decompression could be the ideal treatment for the herniated disc, or if surgery would be more apropos.
If you would be advised to undergo spinal decompression therapy, be informed that it will require anywhere from a few to several sessions, and some maintenance effort. You may have to apply cold compress to the painful body areas. Changing your dietary habits as well could help (especially if you’re overweight, because extra weight can place a lot of additional pressure on your backbone), and you may also have to learn and train your body to move the right way to prevent future injuries.
