SPINAL DECOMPRESSION TREATS BACK PAIN IN CHESTERFIELD VA
Living with chronic back or neck pain? Dr. Mason Sheehan at Richmond Spine & Rehab in Chesterfield, VA, offers spinal decompression and other natural, highly effective relief techniques.
Spinal Decompression: A Conservative Approach to Pain Relief
Constantly suffering from back or neck pain isn’t something anyone wants to do. However, when faced with suffering as opposed to surgery, most people choose to just live with it. While there may be times when more invasive procedures are necessary, many cases of back and neck pain can be relieved through non-surgical spinal decompression. Dr. Mason Sheehan and the team at Richmond Spine & Rehab in Chesterfield, VA, explain this technique and its effectiveness below.
The Act of Decompressing the Spine
Have you ever noticed that you stand a bit taller in the mornings than you do after a long, hard day? It’s not just your imagination or your confidence. Fatigue and daily activities can cause the spinal column to compress, which can lead to a wide range of issues that cause neck and back pain, such as herniated discs and nerve compression. Injuries, such as those that occur during an auto accident, can also lead to herniated discs and compressed nerves.
When any of these issues occur, decompressing the spine can be critical for relief. Decompression therapy is a technique in which the patient lies on a table that has segments for their upper and lower halves. A computer causes the segment beneath their lower half to move slowly, which provides a gentle and thorough stretch to the spinal column.
Benefits of Decompression Therapy
You can gain many benefits from this treatment technique, including but not limited to the following.
- Relieves pressure: As the spine is stretched, the pressure is taken off the nerves, discs, muscles, and other spinal components.
- Creates negative pressure: The stretching motion creates a vacuum effect, which pulls herniated discs back into place. It also pulls blood and healing nutrients to the spine, which rehydrates discs and helps heal damaged tissues.
- Natural and lasting relief: Decompression therapy gets to the root of the problem – the compression that is causing your pain.
Decompression therapy is typically just one aspect of treatment plans. It’s often combined with adjustments, soft tissue techniques, and more to ensure optimal relief.
You don’t have to live your life in pain or resort to invasive procedures. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Sheehan at Richmond Spine & Rehab in Chesterfield, VA, by calling (804) 592-2225 to determine if spinal decompression can help you.
WHAT TO EXPECT
It is most common to receive twenty sessions during a course of treatment. When a patient is receiving their first round of treatment, sessions will start at around five visits the first week and gradually decrease to twice a week over a few weeks. Spinal decompression visits last at least 30 minutes.
Spinal decompression is not just a way to treat back pain, but can also be used for acute and chronic neck pain. Patients must be eighteen years or older in order to able to receive therapy. There have not been any safety issues or adverse side effects that have ever been reported. Even though this is the case, the patients, as well as the technicians, are equipped with an emergency stop. It has been reported by patients that they experienced mild muscle spasms for a short time after treatment.
Overall, the majority of the patients that have received spinal decompression have reported significant improvement in their condition and a better quality of life. There is generally notable improvement after at least 5 treatments.
If you have suffered any recent spinal fractures or had surgical fusion or metal spinal implants than you are not a candidate for this type of treatment. An evaluation will be performed prior to treatment to make sure that you are a qualified patient. Our team at Richmond Spine and Rehab in Richmond VA is here to help you recover. Call us today.