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Details About Spinal Decompression Shavano Park Back Pain Patients Need To Know

By Janine Hughes


It can be very frustrating for people who have to cope with chronic back or neck pain on a daily basis because it can greatly restrict their actions and make movement difficult. One treatment option for this condition that has shown some positive results in patients is spinal decompression. If interested in non-surgical or surgical spinal decompression Shavano Park, TX patients need to discuss this treatment with their doctor to determine if it is suitable.

The objective of this procedure is to alter the position and force of the spine slightly by gently stretching it. When this happens, it has the effect of reducing pressure on the disks between the vertebrae, facilitating easier movement, and increasing flow of oxygen and nutrients which are needed for proper healing.

Chiropractors as well as medical doctors may refer patients to this treatment if they have been suffering with long-term back pain and also in some cases of acute pain such as an injury. Disorders which have shown improvement through the application of this procedure include sciatica, worn spinal joints, pathology of the spinal nerve roots, and bulging or herniated disks. Normal protocol is to attempt non-surgical techniques first.

Patients can wear regular clothes for this procedure. They will be placed on a special table which the practitioner will control using a computer. Lying on either the back or belly, the patient will then be strapped in with harnesses around the pelvis and upper torso. Treatment times vary between 30 and 45 minutes, and they are usually done as a series, consisting of about 20 to 28 sessions spread out over a 5 to 7 week period. Sometimes other forms of therapy are combined with this treatment such as hot and cold applications or electrical muscle stimulation.

If the use of decompression is contraindicated, the physician will take another approach to the patient's pain relief. Certain conditions rule out this type of therapy including advanced osteoporosis, abdominal aortic aneurysm, fractures, tumors, metal implants in the spine, and pregnancy.

Instances in which a non-surgical approach did not produce satisfactory improvement may be helped through surgery. Examples of this include the presence of osteophytes, which are painful, bony growths on the spine, as well as some disk problems. Surgery effectively eases pressure on spinal nerves and is a good choice for patients afflicted with ongoing pain, numbness, weakness, and tingling.

The surgical method implemented depends on the patient's symptoms. Although collectively these operations share a common goal of easing pressure in the spine, they differ from one another. They can involve the excision of a small section of disk or bone, or sometimes the complete removal of a damaged disk.The space which encloses the nerve roots may also need to be enlarged.

Even though there are no guarantees that a patient will enjoy a notable improvement following surgical decompression, many surgeons go ahead with the operation. The relatively small risks of surgery are standard to most similar procedures and the potential benefits for the most part outweigh them.




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