Author: admin-ar

1. I have acute back pain, I should stay in bed

In the acute phase of a back injury, resting can be very useful to calm down the pain and avoid further damage to tissues.  However, the acute phase generally lasts only a few days. Long term, activity modified for your condition will:

• speed healing by pumping out wastes
• prevent reinjury by strengthening muscles, balancing the strength of opposing muscle groups, and increasing flexibility
• relieve depression by generating endorphins.

2. I have to learn to live with my back pain

Each case of back pain requires individual treatment plans.  However, there are a tremendous number of resources available for the pro-active back pain sufferer. If the pain is debilitating or interferes with your daily activities, seeking professional solutions sooner rather than later is crucial to long term healing. Being in pain takes a lot of energy, is stressful, and has negative effects on the immune system. For many, alternative health modalities, such as chiropractic treatments, are very effective in relieving pain.

3. I am told the pain is “all in my head”

All pain is real, even if a physical cause cannot be found. This is so because of the way the nervous system processes information associated with painful stimuli.  For those in chronic pain, pain management specialists may help create a program with several components to keep things under control and allow normal living to continue.

4. I will need to see a Chiropractor every week in order to control the pain

During the beginning phases of treatment, your chiropractor may likely encourage you to come for treatment several times a week. The number of required treatments to see results should taper down over time, depending on your condition.  If a care plan is followed diligently, healing will progress faster.  Once your condition has stabilized, you may only need to see the chiropractor once a month or less to maintain the positive changes effected by the treatment and home program.

Certainly, with back pain, one must develop the ability to listen to the body and respect it’s limitations.  But don’t give up hope!  With a well designed, diligently followed exercise program that includes core conditioning and flexibility exercises, many people will find that it is possible to get back to most or all of their favorite activities.  Just as important, using good body mechanics when doing your favorite activites can go a long way toward preventing more pain.

6. I am active and fit, so I won’t get back pain

Physical activity is the way to go when preventing and healing back injury.  However, habitual patterns of body usage often predispose an individual to back injury or pain. The balanced work of muscle groups throughout the body is a key to avoiding pain.  Without balance, a build up of tension occurs in one area, causing weakness in other areas. A complete exercise program, including strength training and stretching for all muscle groups, is often quite effective for pain and injury prevention.

7. I have back pain so I will need surgery

Only a very small percentage of people who suffer with back pain will undergo surgery. Research shows that about 85% of back pain goes away on its own over time. There are only a few instances where back surgery would be done without your voice in the decision-making process.  These are medical emergencies such as a broken neck or if you have symptoms such as weakness in the legs that gets progressively worse and/or bladder and/or bowel incontinence caused by the back problem.

Healing Takes Time

There are 3 main stages of injury healing, regardless of where the trauma occurs.  In each, different things are happening at the injury site, and there are different activities that are appropriate for treatment and resuming to your daily acitivities.

The Acute Stage

Also called the inflammatory stage, the acute stage occurs at the time of the injury, and continues for up to 4 days.  During the acute stage, inflammation occurs. The purpose of the inflammation is to neutralize toxins so that the repair process (which occurs in later stages) can begin.  Scar tissue begins to form during the inflammatory stage.

During the acute stage, rest and gentle movement, along with therapy and anti-inflammatories are generally recommended.

The Sub-Acute Stage

The sub-acute stage of healing takes place between the 4th to the 21st day after the injury occurs.  This stage is marked by new growth of connective tissue and capillaries, to help repair damaged structures.  Scar tissue continues to grow during this time.  Tissues in this stage are very fragile, so placing stress on the injured area is best limited to a therapist’s or doctor’s skilled hands. 

During the sub-acute stage, inflammation decreases and pain that is related to damaged tissue may occur. Most  therapists and chiropractors recommend that the patient begin with gentle movement during this phase, and gradually build up the intensity.  Mild isometric exercise might be appropriate.  Because activity is restricted during the sub-acute phase, there may be muscle weakness.  This can be address with specific, low-intensity exercises.

The Chronic Stage

During the chronic stage of injury healing, scar tissue is remodeled by the stresses placed on it.  This means that the activities and exercises the injured part is taken through will affect where scar tissue strength will be located. That is why visits to the therapist, chiropractor, the massage therapist, and adherence to a home exercise program are crucial for healing. These modalities will help to develop the scar tissue to where it can be useful in protecting the injured area.

During the chronic stage, pain associated with the injury tends to be limited to the end reaches of the joint range of motion.

The chronic stage of healing begins after 21 days, and may continue for quite some time. This is the time when the patient takes the most active role in his/her recovery.

To answer this question we must first define “healthy.”  

According to the World Health Organization: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”  Now that we have an understanding of what health is, we need to look at our own level of health.  Too often I see people assuming they are healthy just because they are not currently having any symptoms.  This is a dangerous view on health.  The lack of symptoms has nothing to do with health!  To illustrate my point I’m going to go over a few scenarios that will hopefully help you see that symptoms are a terrible gauge of true health.

Scenario 1: You go to a new restaurant with a friend and share and appetizer and an entrée.  You both sample each other’s food.  Later that night you get a call from your friend who has been vomiting since she got home, while you feel just fine.  Who is the healthier individual?

Based on the symptoms alone you would probably say that you are healthier because you didn’t experience any symptoms.  However in this scenario your friend vomiting is the healthy response.  Your friend’s body identified an overwhelming amount of a toxin in her body and immediately expelled it, which is a correct and healthy response.  However, your body didn’t identify the large toxin load and therefore allowed those toxins to remain in the body to potentially create further problems.  In this case the individual with the symptoms was the healthier person.

Scenario 2: A middle aged woman is playing in her company softball game.  Prior to the game she feels great, has no pain and feels that she is completely healthy.  While running the bases she collapses with a massive heart attack.  She like many others had a sudden heart attack with NO prior symptoms.  In fact 40% of heart attack victims had no symptoms prior to their heart attack.  In this case a lack of symptoms obviously did not mean that the individual was anywhere near healthy.

 So I ask again, are you healthy or just not sick? 

If we can’t base the answer to that question on symptoms, what can we base it on?  The best determinant for overall health is your body’s function.  If all you body’s systems are functioning normally, you have optimal health.  For instance, if your cardiovascular system had normal function you wouldn’t need blood pressure or cholesterol drugs to stay in the healthy and normal ranges.  If a diabetic’s endocrine system were functioning normally they would not need to inject insulin to normalize blood sugar levels.  If a senior citizen’s spine and other joints functioned well they would have no need for a walker, knee replacement, wheel chair, or pain medications.  I hope you see the pattern here: the function of your body’s many systems can and will determine the length and quality of life you will experience.

So what can you do to ensure your body is functioning well?  Since all your systems are controlled by the nervous system, it is important that this “master system” functions correctly.  The nervous system controls the repair and replacement of all the cells in your body so a poorly functioning nervous system could have wide ranging negative effects on vital processes like liver cell regeneration, lung function, immune system function, inflammation control, and proper hormone levels.  Doctors of Chiropractic are uniquely qualified to evaluate both the condition and function of the spine and nervous system that it protects.  If you or a loved one is experiencing less than optimal health please take an active step to finding the cause of the dysfunction and get scheduled for a complimentary evaluation.

Challenge Yourself

If you’re stuck in the daily grind, wondering why every day seems to be “same old, same old,” maybe it’s because it is. Fortunately, you have the power. Whether it’s changing up your workout routine, learning a new language, or finding creative ways to teach your kids new things, commit to continually challenging yourself and avoid stagnation.

Turn Bad into Good

We all experience good and bad moments in life, but whether you crumble or climb is really just a matter of attitude. Negative breeds negative, which can have profound consequences. Next time you’re hit with a negative, think about the up side (there always is one, even if it’s not immediate) and turn that frown upside down. Before you know it, you’ll be back on track.

Find Time to Relax

Life isn’t a race, it’s a journey filled with memorable moments; make sure you appreciate them, rather than rushing from one day to the next. It’s too easy to get caught up in daily routines and lose yourself. Schedule some you time every day, whether it’s a sunset walk, a long bath, a good book, or even a nap – find time to relax and reap the physical and psychological benefits.

As successful as chiropractic has become, there are a lot of myths circulating among the general public. Times have definitely changed for the better, but the fact is that many people still do not understand what chiropractors do. Let’s talk about a few of the more common myths about chiropractic.

Myth #1 – Chiropractors are not real doctors.

A chiropractic college grants a D.C. or Doctorate of Chiropractic degree. Chiropractors are licensed as health care providers in every U.S. state and dozens of countries around the world. While the competition for acceptance in chiropractic school is not as fierce as medical school, the chiropractic and medical school curricula are extremely rigorous and virtually identical. In fact, chiropractors have more hours of classroom education than their medical counterparts. As part of their education, chiropractic students also complete a residency working with real patients in a clinical setting, supervised by licensed doctors of chiropractic. Once chiropractic students graduate, they have to pass four sets of national board exams as well as state board exams in the states where they want to practice.

Just like medical doctors, chiropractors are professionals that are subject to the same type of testing procedures, licensing and monitoring by state and national peer-reviewed boards. Federal and state programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Workers’ Compensations programs cover chiropractic care, and all federal agencies accept sick-leave certificates signed by doctors of chiropractic. Chiropractors are also commissioned as officers in the military.

The biggest difference between chiropractors and medical doctors lies not in their level of education, but in their preferred method of caring for people. Medical doctors are trained in the use of medicines (chemicals that affect your internal biochemistry) and surgery. Consequently, if you have a chemical problem, such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, or an infection, medical doctors can be very helpful. However, if your problem is that your spine is mis-aligned or you have soft tissue damage causing pain, there is no chemical in existence that can fix it. You need a physical solution to correct a physical problem. That is where chiropractic really shines. Chiropractors provide physical solutions — adjustments, exercises, stretches, muscle therapy — to help the body heal from conditions that are physical in origin, such as back pain, muscle spasms, headaches, and poor posture. Another distinction is the fact that it is completely appropriate to receive chiropractic care even if you do not have symptoms. Unlike standard medical doctors, whom you visit when you have a symptom to be treated, chiropractors offer adjustments to improve spinal alignment and overall well-being before symptoms develop.

Myth #2 – Medical doctors don’t like chiropractors.

The American Medical Association’s opposition to chiropractic was at its strongest in the 1940s under the leadership of Morris Fishbein. Fishbein called chiropractors “rabid dogs” and referred to them as “playful and cute, but killers” He tried to portray chiropractors as members of an unscientific cult who cared about nothing but taking their patients’ money. Up to the late 1970s and early 1980s, the medical establishment purposely conspired to try to destroy the profession of chiropractic. In fact, a landmark lawsuit in the Supreme Court of Illinois in the 1980s found that the American Medical Association was guilty of conspiracy and was ordered to pay restitution to the chiropractic profession.

In the 20 years since, the opinion of most medical doctors has changed: several major studies have shown the superiority of chiropractic in helping people with a host of conditions, and medical doctors developed a better understanding as to what chiropractors actually do. Many people have returned to their medical doctors and told them about the great results they experienced at their chiropractors office. Hospitals across the country now have chiropractors on staff, and many chiropractic offices have medical doctors on staff. Chiropractors and medical doctors are now much more comfortable working together in cases where medical care is necessary as an adjunct to chiropractic care.

Myth #3 – Once you start going to a chiropractor, you have to keep going for the rest of your life.

This statement comes up frequently when the topic of chiropractic is discussed. It is only partially true. You only have to continue going to the chiropractor as long as you wish to maintain the health of your neuromusculoskeletal system. Going to a chiropractor is much like going to the dentist, exercising at a gym, or eating a healthy diet: As long as you keep it up, you continue to enjoy the benefits.

Many years ago, dentists convinced everyone that the best time to go to the dentist is before your teeth hurt, that routine dental care will help your teeth remain healthy for a long time. The same is true of chiropractic care for your spine. It is important to remember that, just like your teeth, your spine experiences normal wear and tear as you walk, drive, sit, lift, sleep, and bend. Routine chiropractic care can help you feel better, move with more freedom, and stay healthier throughout your lifetime. Although you can enjoy the benefits of chiropractic care even if you receive care for a short time, the real benefits come into play when you make chiropractic care a part of your wellness lifestyle

One of the most common questions we are asked when someone walks into our Dallas Chiropractor office is: What’s the main difference between wellness care and standard medical care?

Our answer is that wellness care seeks to turn on the natural healing ability without adding something (like a drug) to the system.  Rather wellness care seeks to removing anything that might interfere the body’s with normal function, since the body knows what to do if nothing were interfering with it. Standard medical care, on the other hand, seeks to treat a symptom by adding something from the outside – a medication, a surgery or procedure.

Inside Out vs. Outside In

For example, if a patient has high blood pressure, a standard medical approach would be to prescribe a drug that lowers blood pressure, and ask the patient to take the drug. This may serve to lower the blood pressure, but ignores the underlying cause that is making the blood pressure high, and runs the risk of side effects complicating the person’s recovery. Whether it’s a nutritional issue, faulty control by the nerve system or a manifestation of stress, the medication could decrease the blood pressure, leaving the problem causing the symptom of high blood pressure unaddressed. 

The Wellness Approach

Wellness is a state of optimal conditions for normal function… and then some. The wellness approach is to look for underlying causes of any disturbance or disruption (which may or may not be causing symptoms at the time) and make whatever interventions and lifestyle adjustments would optimize the conditions for normal function. That environment encourages natural healing, and minimizes the need for invasive treatment, which should be administered only when absolutely necessary. When the body is working properly, it tends to heal effectively, no matter what the condition. When the body heals well and maintains itself well, then there is another level of health that goes beyond “asymptomatic” or “pain-free” which reveals an open-ended opportunity for vitality, vibrant health, and an enhanced experience of life.This is true for mental and emotional health as well as physical health. While some people may suffer psychological disorders, creating an atmosphere of mental and emotional wellness will address all but the most serious problems.

What truly differentiates doctors of chiropractic from any other healthcare professionals is the fact that chiropractors are the only professionals who are trained to diagnose and treat what are called spinal subluxations.  The word “subluxation” comes from the Latin words meaning “somewhat or slight” (sub) and “to dislocate” (luxate).  So the term ‘vertebral subluxation’ literally means a slight dislocation or misalignment of the bones in the spine.

When a subluxation occurs, a chiropractor can correct the misaligned bone and allow it to return to its proper position. This procedure is appropriately called an adjustment, and the adjustment enables the body to heal. The chiropractic adjustment is a quick thrust applied to a vertebra for the purpose of correcting its position, movement or both.  Adjustments are often accompanied by an audible release of gas that sounds like a “crack.”  The sound sometimes shocks people a little bit the first couple times they get adjusted, but the sensation is usually relieving.  Occasionally, minor  discomfort is experienced, especially if the surrounding muscles  are in spasm or the patient tenses up during the chiropractic  procedure.  There are times when the audible “cracking” does not occur.   This is often due to either significant  muscle tightness or that the patient may be having a hard time relaxing during their adjustments.  However, the chiropractic adjustment is still important.  The leak is fixed. The wiring is fixed. Information is flowing again. To keep the wiring fixed, several adjustments over a course of time may be necessary, in addition to massage, rehabilitation, stretching exercises, or strengthening exercises. In the chiropractic world, keeping the problem fixed and preventing its reoccurrence is just as important as the initial remedy.

There are actually five components that contribute to the vertebral subluxation complex (VSC).

1. Bone Component-where the vertebra is either out of position, not moving properly, or are undergoing degeneration.  This frequently leads to a narrowing of the spaces between the bones through which the nerves pass; often resulting in irritation or impingement of the nerve itself.
2. Nerve Component-is the disruption of the normal flow of energy along the nerve fibers, causing the messages traveling along the nerves to become distorted.  The result is that all of the tissues that are fed by those nerves receive distorted signals from the brain and, consequently, are not able to function normally.  Over time, this can lead to a whole host of conditions, such as peptic ulcers, constipation and other organ system dysfunction.
3. Muscular Component-since nerves control the muscles that help hold the vertebrae in place, muscles have to be considered to be an integral part of the vertebral subluxation complex.  In fact, muscles both affect, and are affected by the VSC.  A subluxation can irritate a nerve, the irritated nerve can cause a muscle to spasm, the spasmed muscle pulls the attached vertebrae further out of place, which then further irritates the nerve and you have a vicious cycle.  It is no wonder that very few subluxations just go away by themselves.
4. Soft Tissue Component-the VSC will also affect the surrounding tendons, ligaments, blood supply, and other tissues as the misaligned vertebrae tug and squeeze the connective tissue with tremendous force.  Over time, the soft tissues can become stretched out or scarred, leaving the spine with either a permanent instability or restriction.
5. Chemical Component-is the change in the chemistry of the body due to the VSC.  Most often, the chemical changes, such as the release of a class of chemicals called “kinins,” are pro-inflammatory; meaning that they increase inflammation in the affected area.

These changes get progressively worse over time if they are not treated correctly, leading to chronic pain, inflammation, arthritis, muscle trigger points, the formation of bone spurs, loss of movement,  as well as muscle weakness and spasm.  Chiropractors have known the dangers of the vertebral subluxation complex ever since the birth of the profession. More and more scientific research is demonstrating the tremendous detrimental impact that subluxations have on the tissue of the body.  In order to be truly healthy, it is vital that your nervous system be functioning free of interference from subluxations.  Chiropractors are the only health professionals trained in the detection, location, and correction of the vertebral subluxation complex through chiropractic care.

Spinal adjustments to correct subluxations are what make Dallas chiropractic professionals unique in comparison with any other type of health care professional. The term “adjustment” refers to the specific force chiropractors apply to vertebrae that have abnormal movement patterns or fail to function normally.

The objective of the chiropractic adjustment is to reduce the subluxation, which results in an increased range of motion, reduced nerve irritability, reduced muscle spasm, reduced pain and improved function.The chiropractic adjustment is a quick thrust applied to a vertebra for the purpose of correcting its position, movement or both. Adjustments are often accompanied by an audible release of gas in the spinal joints that sounds like a “crack.” The sound sometimes surprises people the first time they get adjusted, but the sensation is usually relieving. Occasionally, minor discomfort is experienced, especially if the surrounding muscles are in spasm or the person tenses up during the chiropractic procedure. There are times when the audible “cracking” does not occur. This is often due to either significant muscle tightness or the person having a hard time relaxing during their adjustments. Some adjusting techniques are designed to move the spine in a way that does not produce the audible sound at all. Chiropractic is so much more than simply a means of relieving pain.

Ultimately, the goal of receiving adjustments should be to restore the body to its natural state of optimal health. In order to accomplish this, chiropractors can use and recommend a variety of natural healing methods, including adjustments, massage, trigger point therapy, nutrition, exercise rehabilitation, and counseling on lifestyle issues that impact your health. The primary focus is simply to remove those things which interfere with the body’s natural normal healing ability.The adjustment of the spine is the primary objective of a chiropractor. There are some chiropractors who also adjust the extremities and use other forms of physiological therapeutics including the use of electrical stimulation, ultrasound, traction, neuromuscular re-education, and a variety of manual therapies.

Increasingly, chiropractors’ offices are becoming full service wellness centers providing a variety of wellness services. A new trend that chiropractic wellness centers offer is wellness coaching. Some programs offer coaching at the wellness center, while others offer wellness coaching via telephone, email, or online instant messenger in an effort to make it more convenient. Chiropractic wellness centers may offer seminars in a variety of subjects such as spinal alignment, improved posture, and ergonomics, as well as programs on weight management, relaxation, smoking cessation, nutrition, and exercise. Some even offer pre- and post-natal healthy baby programs. The increasing number of chiropractic centers providing extensive wellness programs makes it convenient and affordable for just about anyone to adopt a wellness lifestyle. Chiropractors understand that within each of us is an innate wisdom or healthy energy that will express itself as perfect health and well-being if we allow it to. Therefore, the focus of chiropractic care is to remove any physiological blocks to the proper expression of the body’s innate wisdom. Once these interferences are reduced, improved health is the natural consequence. Who wouldn’t want that?

Wellness requires you to be a proactive agent for your body. You need to treat it well and not wait until you hurt before you decide to take care of it. As we’ve said before health is not merely the absence of disease any more than wealth is an absence of poverty. Let’s remember health is not simply “feeling fine,” for we know that problems may progress for years without causing any symptoms whatsoever. As you know by now, heart disease for example, often develops unnoticed for many years before it strikes: in fact, the first symptom of heart disease that many people experience is a heart attack or death.

Now let us be clear that we are not under the illusion that everyone who creates a wellness lifestyle will be immune from pain, sickness, and disease. There are many people who do everything right and still get sick and die. Some will argue that there are many people who do everything wrong and live long, seemingly healthy lives. However, since we have no way to predict who is who, we have to do our very best to reduce our risk and promote our health.

Over the years in private practice, we have seen how neglecting their health has drained people of thousands of dollars, sometimes to the point of bankruptcy. We have seen people who have saved up and waited their entire lives to take a dream trip or to send their kids to college, whose savings and dreams were siphoned away to pay for health care expenses. We have seen people with work injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome or neck/back pain who have been unable to work, unable to drive, and even unable to sleep without pain. We have seen family members whose entire lives become dominated by the necessity to care for another family member who is sick or in pain. The effects of long-term illness or disability on a family can be devastating; in many cases, it happens to families who are already over-stressed, under-loved, and emotionally maxed out.

On the other hand, We have seen people who have been unemployed due to their pain or health condition choose to adopt new healthy habits: within a short period of time they are back at work making money, taking care of themselves and their families again, and are able to put away savings for their retirement.

We have heard every excuse you can imagine as to why people believe they can’t afford the time or money to invest in their health. But the truth is that you must invest in your health today, or disease may bankrupt you in every way later. If you don’t have the time and money to improve your health while you feel good, what makes you think you will have the time and money to improve your health once you have lost it? As Anthony Robbins once said, “you can make time for wellness now or you can make time for sickness later.” The choice is yours.

With regards to your wellness, the three main ideas that we really want to drive home…

1. Health is not merely the absence of disease.
2. The body has an innate intelligence that runs a series of complex systems that rely on proper balance and coordination in order to function correctly.
3. By living a wellness lifestyle you can enrich your life with vibrant health

DTS Spinal Decompression provides relief to severe back and neck pain sufferers by gently reducing the pressure within spinal discs. The bones of the spine are slowly and methodically separated using the state-of-the-art DTS Spinal Decompression Unit. As the vertebrae are separated pressure is slowly reduced within the disc (intradiscal pressure) until a vacuum is formed. This vacuum “sucks” the gelatinous center of the disc back inside thereby reducing the disc bulge or disc herniation. Significant disc bulge reduction removes pressure off the spinal nerves and drastically reduces pain and disability. This “sucking” vacuum also pulls much-needed oxygen, nutrients and fluid into the injured discs to allow healing to begin.

The treatment motion is computer controlled to provide gentle and painless decompression of the injured spinal discs. Advanced DTS decompression techniques separate slowly and cycle between brief moments of pulling and relaxing (oscillation). This reduces protective muscle spasm that contributed to the poor success rate of outdated “traction” techniques. The DTS unit also incorporates advanced angulated elongation methods to target specific discs of the spine (for example: L5/S1 at the base of the spine). “Angulated Elongation” refers to the angle at which the healing decompression force is applied. This allows the treatment to rely less on brute force (separating multiple levels with high force) and more on finesse (using less decompressive force to focus on a single spinal segment) to rehabilitate individual spinal discs.

Why Spinal Disc Decompression Works:

This FDA approved technology relieves pain by enlarging the space between the discs. The negative pressure of decompression releases pressure that builds on to the disc and nerves, allowing the herniated and bulging disc to eventually go back into normal position. Decompression is the only treatment that is truly most effective for severe cases of herniation, degeneration, arthritis, stenosis and pressure on the nerve root. According to a clinical study performed by the Orthopedic Technological Review in 2004, said that 86% of all cases experienced spinal pain relief with disc decompression.

What is the difference between decompression and traction?

Many clinicians specializing in lumbar spine pathology have criticized traditional traction. Traction fails in many cases because it causes muscular stretch receptors to fire, which then cause para-spinal muscles to contract. This muscular response actually causes an increase in intradiscal pressure. On the other hand, genuine decompression is achieved by gradual and calculated increases of distraction forces to spinal structures, utilizing various degrees of distraction forces. A highly specialized computer must modulate the application of distraction forces in order to achieve the ideal effect. The system uses applies a gentle, curved angle pull which yields far greater treatment results that a less comfortable, sharp angle pull. Distraction must be offset by cycles of partial relaxation. The system continuously monitors spinal resistance and adjusts distraction forces accordingly. A specific lumbar segment can be targeted for treatment by changing the angle of distraction. This patented technique of decompression may prevent muscle spasm and patient guarding. Constant activity monitoring takes place at a rate of 10,000 times per second, making adjustments not perceived by the eye as many as 20 times per second via its fractional metering and monitoring system. Genuine decompression also involves the use of a special pelvic harness that supports the lumbar spine during therapy. Negative pressure within the disc is maintained throughout the treatment session. With genuine decompression, the pressure within the disc space can actually be lowered to about -150 mmHg. As a result, the damaged disc will be rehydrated with nutrients and oxygen.

Isn’t decompression just a fancy name for a traction machine?

No. There is a big different between traction, distraction and decompression. Traction has been around for hundreds, if not thousands of years. The problem with traction as it is known today is that it is not always beneficial. In 1998, the Scientific American rated traction to be of little or no value in the examination of efficacious therapies for lower back pain. This finding is consistent with many studies that report traction can often times signal a nociceptive splinting response and put a patient’s back muscles in spasm, resisting any attempts to effect a change on the disc proper. Distraction, a term used to describe a flexion distraction technique, attempts to reposition the spine from the offending lesion. This technique has been shown to be very effective, even though potentially damaging to the person performing the technique and largely dependent on the skill of the technician. Like traction, distraction procedures are limited in the ability to reduce the intradiscal pressure, or produce a negative pressure within the disc imbibing fluid, nutrients and creating an environment for repair. Decompression therefore is an event – a combination of restraint, angle position and equipment engineering. One can experience traction without decompression, but not decompression without traction. Traction is a machine – Decompression is an event.

What Results Can I Expect?

Many patients with lower back syndromes may experience pain relief as early as the third treatment session. Comparison of pre-treatment MRI’s with post-treatment MRI’s has shown a 50% reduction in the size and extent of herniation. In clinical studies, 86% of patients reported relief of back pain with the our system. Within the past five years, some private practice clinicians have reported success rates as high as 90%.

What Time Commitments Are Required By Patients?

Each treatment session averages 25 to 30 minutes in duration (research has established that optimum results are achieved with sessions that incorporate 10 to 15 decompression/relaxation cycles). On average, one daily session for 20-30 treatments is necessary for patient self-healing to occur. Herniated discs generally respond within 20 sessions, while patients with degenerated discs may need ongoing therapy at regulated intervals to remain pain free. Still other patients, due to lifestyle or occupation, may also require maintenance therapy. Patients with posterior facet syndromes may achieve complete remission with 10 or fewer sessions. Research has demonstrated that most patients achieve full remission from pain after the initial treatment regimen.

What is the typical diagnosis?

Since non-specific low back pain and cervical pain generally encompass a myriad of mechanical failures, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissue that encroach or produce pressure on the nerves, the term intervertebral disc syndrome can be used. This diagnosis does not necessarily require (although recommended) an MRI to confirm the presence of a disc involvement.

Who can benefit from using Disc Decompression Therapy?

The following would be inclusion criteria for the Decompression Therapy (1) Pain due to herniated and bulging lumbar discs that is more than four weeks old; (2) Recurrent pain from a failed back surgery that is more than six months old; (3) Persistent pain from degenerated discs not responding to four weeks of therapy; (4) Patients available for four weeks of treatment protocol; and (5) Patient at least 18 years of age. These indications are ideal candidates for enrollment into our program and have the potential of achieving quality outcomes in the treatment of their back pain: (1) Nerve Compression; (2) Lumbar Disorders; (3) Lumbar Strains; (4) Sciatic Neuralgia; (5) Herniated Discs; (6) Injury of the Lumbar Nerve Root; (7) Degenerative Discs; (8) Spinal Arthritis; (9) Low Back Pain w/ or w/o Sciatica; (10) Degenerative Joint Disease; (11) Myofasctois Syndrome; (12) Disuse Atrophy; (13) Lumbar Instability; (14) Acute Low Back Pain; and (15) Post-Surgical Low Back Pain. Lastly, the system should be utilized with patients with low back pain, with or without radiculopathy who have failed conventional therapy (rehabilitation and chiropractic) and who are considering surgery. Surgery should only be considered following a reasonable trial of Decompression therapy protocols.

What conditions are contraindicated?

Patients with the following problems or symptoms are usually excluded from using the Spinal Decompresion therapy: Pregnancy, Prior lumbar surgical fusion, Metastatic cancer, Severe osteoporosis, Spondylolisthesis, Compression fracture of lumbar spine below L-1, Pars defect, Aortic aneurysm, Pelvic or abdominal cancer, Disc space infections, Severe peripheral neuropathy, Hemiplegia, paraplegia, or cognitive dysfunction, Cauda Equina syndrome, Tumors, osteod osteoma, multiple myeloma, osteosarcoma, Infection, osteomyelitis, meningitis, virus, and HNP (sequestered/free floating fragment).

How long is each session and what is the treatment protocol?

Each session on the Decompression equipment is approximately 25-40 minutes long (45 minute sessions include set-up and take-off), accompanied by 15 minutes of stimulation, heat packs and manipulation. The patient comes for 20-30 visits over a 4-6 week period. The doctor will provide a complete copy of the Spinal decompression treatment protocol upon request.

How long before a patient experiences change?

Often times a patient experiences some relief within the first few (3-7) treatments. Usually by the 12th to 15th treatment all patients have reported some remission of symptoms. Patients not showing significant improvement by the 15th to 18th session may be referred for further diagnostic evaluation.

Does Decompression Therapy work for everyone?

Eighty-to-ninety percent of patients who have been properly selected and comply with the Spinal Disc Decompression protocol will have good-to-excellent outcomes. Patient’s conditions that do not respond quickly to the therapy are often unable to be helped by anything quickly. Patients vary in age, sex and body morphology and may require counseling in weight loss, nutrition and other lifestyle changes.

DTS Spinal Decompression Therapy is a pain-free alternative that has shown a very high rate of success at reducing and even eliminating back and neck pain altogether. If you suffer from chronic, debilitating, low back or neck pain, you owe it to yourself to call our office today to make an appointment to see if you’re a candidate for the DTS Spinal Decompression Therapy. Our office is dedicated to offering the latest, state-of-the-art therapies for treating pain in the low back and neck, sciatica, pinched nerves, and bulging or degenerative disc diseases. We believe DTS Spinal Decompression Therapy to be the most advanced, non-surgical and pain-free alternative.

What are Doctors saying about Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Therapy?

“There is a place for surgery, but definitely not at the front line. Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Therapy should be a front-line treatment for chronic back pain patients suffering from bulging, herniated, or degenerative disc disease, and facet syndrome. As a surgeon, I only want to do surgery when I absolutely have to. Spinal Decompression Therapy gives my patients a more conservative treatment option that can eliminate the need for surgery altogether, and that’s a very good thing. Spinal Decompression Therapy also gives me a treatment option for those patients who have had surgery and have a relapse or experience a return of pain following surgery. It allows me to offer patients a key, non-surgical weapon in the war on back pain.”   Bernard Zeliger DO, FACOS, FAOAO, FICS Osteopathic Physician and Surgeon Founding Dean and Provost of Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Vallejo, CA

“As an interventional pain physician, I feel that Spinal Decompression Therapy has filled a void in our continuum of treatment for those patients suffering from back and neck pain associated with disc pathology. The majority of the other procedure I perform, such as injections and nerve blocks, treat the pain due to tissue and nerve irritation, which only reduce the patients’ pain. My enthusiasm for Spinal decompression Therapy stems from the fact that it it the only therapy that scientifically attempts to heal and “rejuvenate” the discs. My personal experience with this non-invasive therapy is that qualified patients will show improvement within the first few treatments.”  Juan J. Gargiulo MD -Southampton, NY East End Pain Management

“Neurologists like myself have long known that we should do everything possible to help our patients avoid back surgery. Now with Spinal decompression Therapy we finally have a very effective way to treat back pain without surgery. The vast majority of even our worst cases experience significant, long-lasting relief if they complete the entire treatment regimen. Anyone who says this is experimental doesn’t know what they’re talking about.” Orlando Maldonado MD -Bradenton, FL

“We have treated thousands of patients who have experienced long term, pain free healing because of decompression therapy. With non-surgical decompression we offer real modification of the patient’s disc disease processes and rehabilitation of the neuropathic and mechanical symptoms, rather than just offering palliative care. I use it for myself and it is worth its weight in gold.” Phil Fisher DO, PhD -Barboursville, WV

What is the first step?

In order for our Dr Z to determine if you are a candidate for spinal decompression a complete examination/consultation will need to be performed. Depending on the severity and chronicity of your condition, our Doctors may request an MRI of your main region of complaint to properly diagnose your condition. (If you have recent MRI’s please bring the report to your initial consultation.) Once all the medical records and tests have been clearly reviewed by Dr Z, we will then lay out a specific treatment program for your condition. This will include the duration, frequency and length of your decompression therapy. In addition, we will describe to you the decompression rehabilitation (exercises) that will be vital for your treatment success. All of the therapies described will be conducted in our office under the Doctor’s supervision.