Spinal Decompression, Does It Work?
Posted: Thursday, December 04, 2008
by Doc Tel Boy
Back Trouble UK
Living with pain takes a serious toll on our lives!
And regardless of how long you've been struggling-whether it's weeks, months, or years-you know that it's not going away on its own. That's why you've tried all those pain pills, trips to the doctor, or even surgeries that have failed.
Decompression therapy is a non-surgical, non-invasive, effective treatment for chronic and acute low-back pain sufferers. Clinical studies support that up to 86% of low-back pain sufferers gained relief in as little as 6 to 8 weeks for up to 86% patients treated.
Genuine decompression therapy has relieved some common problems that are related to the vertebral disc including: sciatica, disc herniation and bulges, degenerative discs, failed low back surgery, posterior facet syndrome and spinal stenosis/arthritis.
Decompression therapy holds great potential in treating a large population of people who might not otherwise be able to regain health and the ability to enjoy pain-free living, without restrictions and risks associated with back surgery.
So lets take a look at it in more detail?
Research Studies on Disc Decompression Therapy Pain Reduction
71% Success Rate in Study of 778 Patients Treated with Disc Decompression
"Data was collected from twenty two medical centers in the USA for patients who received [disc decompression] therapy for low back pain. Only patients who received at least 10 treatments and had a diagnosis of herniated disc, degenerated disc, or facet syndrome, which was confirmed by imaging studies, were included in the study."
- If treatment success is defined as a reduction in pain to 0 or 1 on a 1 to 5 scale, the treatment was successful in 71% of the 778 cases.
- On a rating scale of 0 to 3, increases in spine mobility of one grade or more was seen in 77% of the patients with mobility limitations. Functional increases of 1 or more grades in the activity score was recorded in 78% of the patients who, before treatment were either unable to walk or capable of only limited walking.
Gose, Earl E, Naguszewski, William K, and Naguszewski, Robert K, "Vertebral axial decompression therapy for pain associated, with herniated or degenerated discs or facet syndrome: An outcome study." Journal of Neurological Research, Volume 20.
86% Success Rate in Study of 219 Patients Treated with Disc Decompression.
"In this study, only patients diagnosed with herniated and degenerative discs with at least a 4-week onset were eligible. Each patient's diagnosis was confirmed by MRI findings. All selected patients reported 3 to 5 on the pain scale [Oswestry Pain Scale, ranging from on pain (0) to severe pain (5)] with radiating neuritis into the lower extremities
According to the self-rated Oswestry Pain Scale, treatment was successful in 86% of the 219 patients included in this study. Treatment success was defined by a reduction in pain to 0 or 1 on the pain scale. After 90 days, only five patients (2%) were found to have relapsed from the initial treatment program.
Ninety-two percent of patients with abnormal physical findings [gait, reflexes, sensory perception, straight leg raise test, spinal range of motion] improved post-treatment. Ninety days later only 3% of these patients had abnormal findings.
Glonis, Thomas A and Groteke, Eric "Spinal Decompression: The outcome of a clinical study evaluating the effect of nonsurgical intervention on symptoms of spine patients with herniated and degenerative disc disease is presented."
86% Rate of Improvement in Patients with Ruptured Intervertebral Discs After Disc Decompression Therapy
Thirty-nine patients were enrolled in this study. There were 27 men and 12 women, ranging in age from 31 to 63. Twenty-three had ruptured discs diagnosed by MRI. Of these, all but four had significant sciatic radiation, with mild to moderate L5 or S1 hyperaigesic. All had symptoms of less than one year. The facet arthrosis patients also underwent MRI evaluations to rule-out ruptured discs or other major pathologies. They had experienced back pain from one to 20 years. Six had mild to moderate sciatic pain with significant limitations of mobility.
- Eighty-six percent of ruptured intervertebral disc (RID) patients achieved "good" (50-89% improvement) to "excellent" (90-100% improvement) results with decompression. Sciatica and back pain were relieved.
- Of the facet arthrosis patients, 75% obtained, "good" to "excellent" results with decompression.
Research Studies on Disc Decompression Therapy Pain Reduction
MRI Evidence of Nonsurgical, Mechanical Reduction, Rehydration, and Repair of the Herniated Lumbar Disc.
"Twenty patients with lumbar radiculopathy documented on clinical examination and electromyography were treated on the DRS decompression table system, a mechanical split-table distraction device..Radiculopathy, confirmed by EMG, was from disc herniation in 14 patients and from minor disc protrusion plus foraminal stenosis, facet arthropathy and lateral spinal stenosis in six. Significant herniations treated were 4-10 mm in size and all were subligamentous. Six herniations were at L5/S1, six at L4/5, and one each at L3/4 and L2/3. And MRI on either high or midfield units were performed within four weeks before and after treatment. Clinical status was assessed before, during, and after treatment using standards analog pain scale measurements of lumbar mobility and full neurologic exam results."
"Serial MRI imaging of 20 patients treated with the decompression table shows in our study over 90% reduction of subligamentous nucleus herniation in 10 of 14. Some rehydration occurs detected by T2 and proton density signal increase. Torn annulus repair is seen in all. Transligamentous ruptures show lesser repair. Facet arthrosis can be shown to improve chiefly by pain relief. Virtually all subjects have sufficient relief of pain to return to work."
"The follow up of the 17 patients who showed clinical improvement in the present series at one year revealed only one to have a recurrence. It could be argued that reversing leakage through fissures and tears in the annulus allows the most direct repair of the herniated lumbar disc by promoting fibroblast repair of the inner andouter annulus layers and improved retention of nutrition."
Eyerman, Edward L "MRI Evidence of Nonsurgical, Mechanical Reduction, Rehydration and Repair of the Herniated Lumbar Disc," 21 st Annual meeting of the American Society of Neuroimaging 1998 Paper Presentation.
Effects of Vertebral Axial Decompression on Intradiscual Pressure
"The object of this study was to examine the effect of vertebral axial decompression on pressure in the nucleus pulposus of lumbar discs. Intradiscual pressure measurement was performed by connecting a cannula inserted into the patient's L4-5 disc space to a pressure transducer."
"Surgical procedures utilizing conventional and percutaneous approaches have established the merits of decompression of intravertebral disc spaces in the management of low-back pain syndrome associated with lumbar disc herniationHowever, for patients who are not candidates for surgery, there's a need to establish a conservative approach that offers an effective means of returning the patient to a functional level of activityThe only noninterventional method that has been shown to hold any promise of relieving pressure on vital structures of the lumbar region is that of distraction of the lumbar vertebrae by mechanical forces applied along the axis of the spinal column."
"Five cases were selected from among individuals who were referred for a neurosurgical consultation and had previously sustained a work-related injury that resulted in herniation of a lumbar disc at one or more levels."
"Intradiscal pressure measurements showed that distraction tension routinely applied by the [disc decompression unit] reduced the intradiscal pressure significantly to negative levels in the range of -100 to -160 mm Hg." Ramos G, Martin W, "Effects of vertebral axial decompression on intradiscal pressure," Journal of Neurosurgery Volume 81: 350-353, 1994
Are the treatment results permanent?
Spinal decompression in one research study was shown to have a very high success rate in treating herniated and degenerative discs, and an exceptionally low reoccurrence rate.Additional treatments are not required after the completion of a series of treatments.
To find out more information visit: Spinal Decompression!
Terry O'Brien
Back Trouble UK.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)A very interesting article
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