Continuous back pain can make the simplest of tasks – or even just trying to live your regular day-to-day life – completely unbearable. So naturally, when you start suffering from back pain, your first thought will be to go to a chiropractor to see what they suggest. In many cases, they may recommend spinal decompression in Culver City. The procedure is suitable for many different types of back pain, but at the same time, not everyone is a good candidate for the treatment. Is spinal decompression the right choice for you? Here’s what you should know before your chiropractic appointment.
How Does Spinal Decompression Work?
You need to have a good idea of how a given treatment works before you can decide if it’s right for you. Spinal decompression is performed with a special table with moving parts controlled by a computer. You’ll be fitted with a special harness before lying down on the table. Once the treatment begins, the lower part of the table will start to move while the upper part stays in place; this helps stretch and relax your spine. The goal is to relieve the pressure on your spinal discs that is causing your pain.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Spinal Decompression?
Spinal decompression is used to treat many different types of pain linked to the spine. For example, it’s commonly recommended to relieve herniated or bulging discs, which can occur when excessive pressure damages or pushes out the discs that separate the vertebrae. It’s also a potential treatment for sciatica, which is pain in the sciatic nerve that runs down your hips and down each leg. The condition occurs when the nerve becomes pinched by a herniated disc or an overgrowth of the bone on the vertebrae, which is why stretching out the spine can help relieve pain.
There are other conditions that spinal decompression can help with as well. Your chiropractor will need to examine your back and narrow down the source of your pain before recommending the treatment.
Who Should Not Get Spinal Decompression?
While spinal decompression is safe for most adults, it’s not appropriate for every type of back pain. In particular, it should not be performed on:
- Pregnant women
- People with broken vertebrae
- People who have had spinal fusion or failed back surgery
- People who have had an artificial disc placed in their spine at some point
- People with certain conditions like spinal stenosis, osteoporosis, or spinal tumor
Ultimately, whether you’re a candidate for spinal decompression or will need to seek another solution for your back pain depends on your chiropractor’s findings. If they find that you are a candidate, you can rest assured that you can look forward to receiving relief in the near future after a few sessions of this noninvasive treatment. Be sure to ask your chiropractor any questions you might have about the procedure and what other options you might have.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Brigitte Rozenberg completed her training at the Cleveland Chiropractic College and is a Board-Certified Chiropractor in California. At the Spinatomy Spine & Disc Center in Culver City, she specializes in non-surgical spinal decompression as a noninvasive alternative treatment for back pain; she has recently been appointed to the International Advisory Boards on Spinal Decompression. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Rozenberg, visit her website or call (310) 361-9066.
