3 Ways Spinal Decompression Relieves Back Pain

Back pain is one of those conditions you can't just work around — when it strikes, it can be all-consuming and govern every aspect of your day. We’re sure the 65 million Americans who report a recent episode of back pain would agree.

When your back is in pain, the last thing you want to do is pile on to the discomfort, so you’re looking for a solution that isn’t invasive or risky, which describes non-surgical spinal decompression.

Here at HealthFirst, Dr. Jonathan Singer believes in working with your body, rather than against it, and non-surgical spinal decompression is a fine example of this.

Here, we look at 3 ways in which spinal decompression can help you find much-needed relief from your back pain.

1. Freeing up your nerves

While there are many different roads to back pain, one of the most common, and painful, is nerve compression in your spine. There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves that exit your spine, and any inflammation or degenerative changes that compress or irritate these nerves can lead to local symptoms, as well as symptoms that radiate down the nerve and into your arms or legs.

As its name implies, spinal decompression relieves the pressure on entrapped nerves. To do this, we place you on a special traction table to gently pull your spine to free up the nerves. 

2. Getting your spinal discs back in line

A common culprit behind compressed spinal nerves is a herniated disc. When a disc herniates, disc materials leak out of the space between the vertebrae and irritate surrounding nerve roots.

With spinal decompression, we create room for escaped disc material to retract into, encouraging the disc to return back into its allotted space and away from sensitive nerve roots.

3. Getting resources flowing

When you have subluxations or blockages along your spine, it hampers the flow of healing resources. When we use mechanical traction to create more room along your spine, this not only helps free up nerves and discs, it also restores a good flow of these healing resources, which can help your back to recover more quickly.

Undergoing spinal decompression therapy

It’s difficult to predict here what your spinal decompression therapy will look like, but most of our patients benefit from a series of spinal decompression sessions. In many cases, you’ll realize relief after the first session, and this relief will only continue as we progress and restore health to your spine.

It’s also a great idea to come back for periodic spinal decompression sessions so that you can stay one step ahead of back issues.

To learn more about spinal decompression and whether it’s right for your back pain, please contact one of our offices in Greenwood Village, Colorado, or Cheyenne, Wyoming, to schedule an appointment.