Blog

A Guide to Spinal Decompression Therapy – Risks, Cost & Reviews

Spinal decompression therapy is one of the most popular and effective treatments for back pain. This therapy uses a series of gentle stretches and exercises to improve blood flow and reduce inflammation in the spine. It can help relieve pain, improve mobility, and boost your energy levels. If you’re suffering from back pain, spinal decompression therapy may be the solution you’ve been looking for.

Let’s dig into the details. 

What is Spinal Decompression Therapy? 

It is a way to treat constant back pain. There are two ways that decompression therapy works, the first is the non-surgical way, and the second is the surgical type. 

The goal of both decompression methods remains the same: to stretch the spine to the right amount to change the position of the spinal disks while lifting pressure from the spinal disc. This may also help you in relieving sciatica pain

Non-Surgical Therapy: 

Non-surgical Spinal Decompression is a type of electric traction that helps relieve back pain. Spinal Decompression works by gently stretching the spine to relax the joints and lift the pressure off the spinal discs. 

The health care providers are specially trained to stretch your spine with just enough pressure to help the spinal discs reposition themselves, which causes the pain to reduce.  

There are various ways decompression therapy works. During spinal decompression therapy, you are fully dressed. One of the most common is where the health care provider attaches a harness to your upper body, which is attached to a motorized table. This harness lets your body suspend freely while the motor controls your movement and slowly stretches the spine with back-and-forth movements. 

Spinal Decompression done within regular intervals is excellent for relieving back pain. You may need 20 to 28 treatments spread out over five to seven weeks. You may receive different sorts of treatment before or after therapy, such as:

  • Thermotherapy (hot or cold)
  • Ultrasound (the use of sound waves to generate heat and promote healing)
  • Electrical Stimulation (electric current that causes specific muscles to contract)

Surgical Therapy: 

Surgical Spinal Decompression is another way to treat back pain. This procedure is not very common and is usually done as a last resort. The doctors only recommend getting surgical spinal Decompression only when other options don’t work for someone. 

IF other methods fail to provide relief from back pain, with the help of surgical spinal decompressions, doctors can still relieve some of the stress from the spine and help with pain, weakness, numbness, and tingling. 

Some common types of surgical spinal decompression therapy are: 

  • Diskectomy 
  • Laminotomy or Laminectomy 
  • Foraminotomy or Foraminectomy 
  • Osteophyte Removal 
  • Corpectomy

The Average Cost of Spinal Decompression Therapy:

Spinal Decompression therapy usually takes about 20-30. Each session may last up to 45 minutes in the healthcare provider’s office. Though the procedure is straightforward and may not require extensive care, the therapy is a bit expensive. 

But if you wonder how much is decompression therapy – Regular sessions may cost you somewhere between $45-$200 per session. This spinal decompression cost can go up to a whopping $450-$6,000 for the complete treatment. 

This amount may seem costly to some, as most spinal decompression procedures are not covered by insurance policies. It is most probable that you will pay for this procedure out of your own pockets, so it is better to be mindful of the cost of the spinal decompression treatment.  

Does It Pain After Spinal Decompression Therapy? 

Spinal decompression therapy stretches the spine and adjoining muscles in a lengthening direction, which may cause some discomfort for a few sessions until the muscles are used to the stretching. It is the most common type of minor pain people may feel after spinal decompression therapy. 

Apart from dull soreness and discomfort, no significant pain and side effects are reported after the therapy. The achy soreness is mainly because the muscles are not used to this type of stretching. The soreness subsides after the muscles get used to it after a few sessions. 

You might also need to know what tingling in the shoulder blade could mean.

Spinal Decompression Therapy Risks:

Non-surgical spinal compression does not pose any severe risks to the patients. However, your doctor may recommend an array of medicine that will have to go side by side with spinal decompression therapy, which may cause some allergic reactions or have adverse effects when taken with medications for other issues. 

Other risks associated with spinal decompression come with the surgeries. The surgical options in spinal decompression may become a cause of bleeding, blood clots, spinal infection, nerve or tissue damage, and allergic reactions to anaesthesia. 

One of the major risks of getting decompression therapy is that the treatment may not be suitable for you and may not help relieve the back pain. 

Moreover, it would be best to consult your doctor to see if non-surgical spinal decompression or physical therapy is correct for you. Nonsurgical spinal decompression is not recommended for those with any of the following conditions:

  • Tumour
  • Fracture
  • Pregnancy
  • Advanced Osteoporosis
  • Abdominal Aortic aneurysm 
  • Metal Implant in the Spinal 

Spinal Decompression Therapy Reviews:

The therapy has given many people hope for a better physical side of the body, which has caused a tremendous increase in the practice. Some people who received the treatment refer to it as “Too good to be true,” whereas some just didn’t feel any change in their condition after the therapy. 

If you search on the internet, you will find mixed reviews about the therapy. However, therapy claims say that 75% to 89% of the people getting spinal decompression greatly benefit from it. The rest may contemplate spinal decompression surgery

Final Thoughts:

Spinal decompression therapy is gaining much popularity nowadays. As people are getting used to a more sedentary lifestyle, their physical activities and physical well-being are significantly compromised. It is one of the main reasons more patients face back problems and back pains. 

Spinal decompression is a reliable way to return to a more flexible body and an active lifestyle. The therapy is designed to provide long-term relief from constant back pain if the procedure is followed correctly. 

It might also interest you to know if chiropractors can write prescriptions.

Related Articles

Back to top button