Spinal Decompression – Is It For Real?

Spinal decompression is a relatively new form of treatment for symptoms related to disc herniation and degeneration.  I have been performing spinal decompression in San Antonio for a few years now, and there is still considerable controversy about this form of treatment.  Some praise it as a dramatic breakthrough in the treatment of disc problems, while others dismiss it as nothing more than an expensive hoax.  

The truth is, like any treatment for spinal discs, spinal decompression is far from a cure-all.  It is not appropriate for all cases, and although it does offer a much higher chance for a good result than any other form of disc treatment, it does not work for everyone. 

Because spinal decompression does not work 100% of the time, and because some providers use a lot of hype in their promotion of this form of treatment, there are bound to be a few patients who are disappointed in the outcome of their treatment.  This disappointment comes out in the occasional forum and blog posts that I’ve seen in which a few individuals did not get good results proclaim the treatment to be universally worthless. 

The reality is, spinal decompression works extremely well for the vast majority of patients with bulging or herniated discs with or without mild to moderate disc degeneration.  It offers a significantly higher success rate than spinal injections and surgery and is considerably safer than these methods of treatment when used appropriately.

I have heard some doctors express the opinion that spinal decompression merely “delays the inevitable” – that is, it only puts off the need for eventual surgery.  These doctors are under the impression that decompression is only a symptomatic treatment and that it does not make any change in the condition of the disc.  This is simply not true.

There is now considerable evidence in the form of pre and post spinal decompression treatment MRI scans that decompression does in fact make positive changes in the discs.  In the majority of cases of disc herniation, the amount of disc bulge is significantly decreased with a series of spinal decompression treatments.  This provides objective evidence of the claim that spinal decompression actually promotes disc healing, not just short-term symptom improvement.

Every patient is somewhat different, but my experiences in my San Antonio spinal decompression office have shown me that the majority of patients get lasting improvement, are able to resume normal activities, and are able to avoid disc surgery.  Most of the patients I have treated with spinal decompression are now enjoying life much more and have been very happy with their results.

To get a free report on spinal disc problems and the treatment options available for them, please visit the spinal decompression San Antonio website.