Spinal Decompression and Traction for Disc Injuries and Sciatica

Herniated Intervertebral Discs are a major problem for many people and can vary from debilitating pain to nothing at all.  Most Disc Herniations occur from a bending and twisting motion while bearing weight but can occur from many other things such as auto accidents or even severe coughing.  When a Disc bulges it can put pressure on a spinal nerve root, which is exiting the vertebrae adjacent to the disc.  The size and position of the disc bulge usually determine the amount of effect it will have on your body.  It can cause local pain, numbness, tingling and shock like pain traveling down the leg, muscle weakness, loss of sensation or perception and coordination, loss of bowel and bladder control or even paralysis.  Herniated discs are a problem you should take very seriously.

Treatment Options:
As with any problem, you should try the least invasive method first.  The least invasive treatment for Herniated Discs that is proven to work in most cases is Chiropractic Therapy.  Note:  (By Chiropractic Therapy I don't mean Chiropractic Adjustments, I mean a broad spectrum of therapies including Electric Stimulation, Ultrasound, Myofascial Release, Spinal Decompression or Traction, Chiropractic Manipulative Therapy, Therapeutic Exercises and Stretching and At Home Therapy.  In my experience, utilizing these non-invasive therapies can effectively treat most disc problems. 

IMPORTANT:  A lot of Chiropractors will not put in the time necessary to include all these therapies in your visit.  At Siwiec Chiropractic we will spend as much time necessary to get you well as fast as possible.
Occasionally a Disc injury is too severe to utilize chiropractic care.  In these cases you will first be referred to a pain management specialist and probably receive an injection of Dexamethasone or similar steroid to calm down the area.  Once it is calmed down a bit then chiropractic can be utilized.  If you are not comfortable with an injection you can get a prescription for dexamethasone and it can be introduced to the affected area through phonophoresis (using ultrasound to push the medicine through the skin).
If a disc injury is so bad that surgery is your only option (example: A disc protrusion which is affecting bowel or bladder control or threatening the spinal cord integrity) than you will be referred to the appropriate specialist.

It is a fact that surgeons like to do surgery and pain management doctors like to give injections.  No matter what kind of doctor you go to first, it is in their best interest to recommend that you choose what they do first.  So if you have a small disc injury and the first doctor you see is a surgeon, you may find yourself getting talked into getting surgery.  This may help or it may make you worse than you were originally.  That is why it is so important to start with a non-invasive treatment.  If surgery doesn't work your left with scars, scar tissue and damage to the whole area operated on.  If steroids don't work you will still have complications from the steroid such as early joint arthritis.  If chiropractic doesn't work then you can try something else but have not damaged your body.

Why Spinal Decompression Works:
Spinal Decompression works for several reasons.  First you must understand the anatomy of a disc and a disc injury.  Intervertebral discs are made of a tough fibro-cartilage outside with a jelly like substance inside.  Disc problems can range from a slight bulge to a full tear with the inside or nucleus protruding out.  Fragments can detach and get trapped in the spinal canal as well.

Intervertebral Discs only have blood supply going to the outer 1/3 of them.  The way the inside of the disc is nourished is from gravity compressing the disc and pushing out waste materials and from them axially stretching out or de-compressing while your lying down which sucks in nutrients.  The shape of the disc is also altered with motion.  This can be seen when a person with a disc injury leans to one side to get relief.  The leaning will actually suck the bulging part of the disc in.

Now that you know the dynamics of the disc you can understand why Spinal Decompression or Traction works.  The spine is stretched axially and to the side away from the disc protrusion.  This sucks the protrusion in and nourishes the disc at the same time.  The repetitive traction nourishes the disc much more than it would be nourished in a normal day and the repetitive sucking in of the protrusion tightens up disc fibers.  After a few weeks the disc protrusion can shrink enough to take the pressure off the nerve root.  This combined with muscle relaxing therapies and core-strengthening exercises can get you back to 100%.

If you have sciatica or a disc injury please call Siwiec Chiropractic at 732-232-0935 and start getting better today.