Many things can cause excruciating back pain which can limit your ability to do the normal activities of daily life. Getting pain relief is vital to let you enjoy living again. Decompression therapy is one way to help with back pain if the cause is a herniated or bulging disc. Dr. Janice Cheatwood of Cheatwood Chiropractic in Brandon, FL offers this treatment to her patients and will be happy to design a treatment plan for you.
What is a bulging or herniated disc?
The back is quite an amazing structure. Not only does it help to keep the body upright, but it protects the spinal cord and nerves. Humans start life with 33 vertebrae, but by the time we are adults, most have 24. Between each of these bones except the top two, there is a gel-like cushion that acts as a shock absorber. These are the discs. When the disc herniates, it bulges and moves outside the area where it is usually located and into the spinal canal. There is no room for it there, and it may press against nerve roots.
Bulging discs can happen anywhere along the back but are most common in the lumbar (lower back) and the neck.
Decompression therapy
Until quite recently, the most common therapy for a herniated disc was surgery. This is a major intervention that comes with potential risks. Decompression therapy is a non-invasive treatment that can help to get the disc back into the place where it belongs. When this happens, it relieves the pain.
The therapy uses a machine and a very accurate computer program to stretch and relax the spine. The vertebrae are separated and this creates a vacuum that pulls the disc back to where it belongs. Once this happens, the pain that was caused by the disc pushing on the nerves disappears. The treatment takes about 20 minutes and treatments usually occur several times a week for about 8 weeks, but each person will have a plan designed specifically to treat their body.
If you are living with pain in your back from a herniated disc, contact Dr. Cheatwood of Cheatwood Chiropractic in Brandon, FL. Her practice can provide decompression therapy to help with bulging or herniated discs. Call our office for an appointment or any questions you might have at (813) 681-4418.