Spinal decompression treatment is used to ease back pain.
Decompression treatment, also known as spinal decompression therapy, is a noninvasive treatment designed to ease back pain without having to resort to surgery or more extreme therapies. Decompression treatments can be performed alone at home or can be performed by a professional. Decompression treatment can cause some side effects.
Decompression Treatment
There are three main types of decompression treatment. The fundamental aspect of decompression treatment is the easing apart of the bones of the spine to allow the discs in between to realign, relieving back pain caused by misaligned discs. In inversion therapy this is done by literally hanging upside down. Manual distraction is performed by a massage therapist, and involves manually pulling the bones of the spine apart to realign the discs. Mechanical pelvic traction uses a machine with harnesses that hold the hips and the chest while pulling the spine gently.
Claims
Proponents of decompression treatment, such as The Healthy Back Institute's Steven Hefferon, claim that decompression therapy can be used to treat conditions such as sciatica, herniated discs, spinal arthritis and acute back pain. Some proponents, such as Dr. Robert Hanson, claim that there are no side effects to the treatment.
Side Effects
Despite claims to the contrary, the nature of decompression therapy means that there are some side effects, though these are generally not serious. The fact the treatment essentially involves pulling the spine, however gently, means that some soreness, numbness and/or tingling may occur after a session. In rare cases, the treatment may cause sciatica, a medium to severe pain in the lower back and buttocks.
Duration
The minor side effects of decompression treatment should pass after a few sessions as the body gets used to the treatment. However, if the pain you feel is quite bad, it is best to cease the treatment altogether and consider alternatives.
Considerations
You should discuss any treatments for back pain that you are considering with your doctor to ensure that you are aware of any complications that the treatment may cause you specifically. If you are undergoing treatment with a massage therapist, be sure to confirm that they are adequately trained in decompression treatment.
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