Facts About Spinal Decompression Shavano Park Patients Will Find Helpful

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.

Both physicians and doctors of chiropractic medicine may recommend this form of treatment for patients experiencing acute or long-term pain in the spine or back. Conditions it has been known to help include bulging or herniated disks, disease or injury of the spinal nerve roots, worn spinal joints, and sciatica. Usually non-surgical decompression is attempted before proceeding to a surgical approach.

During the treatment, patients can wear their usual clothes, and will be positioned either face up or down on computer-controlled table. The doctor will secure them by fastening a harness around both the pelvis and upper torso. Decompression is controlled to specifications for the patient's case and it will last between 30 and 45 minutes. It is most often necessary to attend 20 to 28 treatments over a 5 to 7 week length of time. Other therapies may be implemented as well such as electrical muscle stimulation and hot and cold therapy.

There are some patients which will not be considered good candidates for this form of treatment due to the nature of their particular condition. These people will be referred for another pain management approach. If a patient is pregnant, has a tumor or fracture, metal implants in the spine, or suffers from an abdominal aortic aneurysm or advanced osteoporosis, decompression is contraindicated.

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.

It is not always possible for doctors to tell if a patient will benefit from surgical decompression, so they opt to proceed with the operation with the hope that it will. Some will enjoy a better outcome than others. Risks are relatively small, but as with all types of surgery they exist and include clots, infection, bleeding, nerve or tissue damage, and an adverse reaction to the anesthesia.




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