What is Decompression Therapy, and Why Does It Work?

Persistent pain of any sort can make daily life an uphill battle. Back pain, in specific, is a common culprit that can occur in people of any age. Spinal decompression therapy is a type of therapy that treats back pain by stretching and taking pressure off of your spine. While spinal decompression therapy from one of our doctors at Motus Integrative Health can be effective for some conditions, the best solution for you will always depend on the cause of your back pain. 

What Does Decompression Therapy Treat?

Spinal decompression therapy refers to a range of treatments, both surgical and nonsurgical. It’s intended to treat conditions such as bulging and herniated disks, pinched nerves, and sciatica (damage to the sciatic nerve). Surgical decompression therapy is most often used for spinal stenosis, but it can also be aided with physical therapy by one of our experts at Motus Integrative Health.

Disks: The disks in your spine are effectively shock absorbers that act as cushions between vertebrae. When a disk becomes herniated, a piece of it tears or ruptures and is pushed out into the spinal canal. The symptoms of a herniated disk vary based on placement and severity. 

Pinched Nerve: A pinched nerve can occur in different places throughout the body, causing pain or numbness radiating through the area. According to the Mayo Clinic, a herniated disk is a type of pinched nerve. When it occurs in the lower back, that pain might be felt in the back of the leg. 

Sciatica: Sciatica results from damage to a nerve in your back. The placement of pain can differ but is usually felt along the lower back to the thigh. Mild sciatica might go away on its own, but it’s a good idea to present any concerns to a doctor, especially if the pain lasts longer than a week or gets worse instead of better. 

Spinal Stenosis: According to the Mayo Clinic, spinal stenosis is the pressure that happens when the space inside your backbone is too small. It’s often a result of arthritis and tends to get worse over time. In especially severe circumstances, you might need surgery to create more space inside the spine. 

What are the Types of Decompression Therapy?

Different types of decompression therapy can be surgical or nonsurgical. Surgical spinal decompression can range from minimally invasive methods to large procedures like removing a vertebra or disk. However, according to the Cleveland Clinic, most people start with home therapies and non-invasive treatment before turning to surgery. 

For back pain, physical therapy and chiropractic care can help. With nonsurgical spinal decompression, your chiropractor can help you to stretch the spine, taking pressure off of the painful disk or nerve. Nonsurgical decompression therapy may also help promote the healing of injured disks by allowing fluids and oxygen to flow better through the affected area. Our doctors know that healing is an important part of the process. More so than just temporary pain relief, healing is a necessary part of getting you on the road to recovery and back to feeling your best.

Making an Appointment

If you struggle with back pain, the first step to finding the right treatment for you is to determine the cause. While surgical methods might be suggested for severe pain, there are many other methods that you can try first. Among them is spinal decompression therapy, offered by our expert chiropractors at Motus Integrative Health. To learn more about spinal decompression therapy, reach out for a FREE consultation with one of our doctors today!