Friday, January 6, 2012

Spinal Decompression - Is There a Consensus?

By David Greene


Is spinal decompression therapy and effective treatment for low back pain? The theory is that distractive forces applied to the low back will create a negative pressure in the middle of the disc space.

This negative pressure that is created is of creating a vacuum that reduces pressure on inflamed nerves and allows water and nutrients in blood flow to come in to the void that has been created. Once the spinal decompression is finished, this extra fluid including the nutrients relieves pain from compressed vertebrae.

Because intervertebral discs are known to have poor circulation, the decompression increases the opportunity for it to take place. Theory holds that this can improve such problems as lower back pain, disc degeneration, sciatica, disc herniations, and disc bulges. It has been documented by patients who have tried other treatments unsuccessfully that it improved their condition.

Origination of Spinal Decompression Treatment

The creator of the initial spinal decompression therapy is a Canadian man, Dr. Alan Dyer. He invented the prototype of the Vax-D table in the early 1990s and claim to be pain-free after using it. This original prototype utilized a pneumatic pump that applied and released spinal traction.

In 2004, computer controls were placed into the tables and the pneumatic pumps were no longer necessary. There have been quite a few different tables created over the last 15 years, and they all utilize the same general theory of intermittent traction to create the negative pressure in the disk.

How Effective is Mechanical Spinal Decompression

There are conflicting views of how effective spinal decompression tables are especially sense that we do not have multiple decades of results. There are studies that show anywhere from a 65% to 87% good to excellent results. Other studies have not been as conclusive.

In both 2004 and 2005, reviews of the Vax-D and other powered traction devices did not indicate that they were effective in treating lower back pain for any of the known causes.

In 2006 there was a cumulative study published which looked at multiple years of spinal decompression although it back to 1975 and concluded that there was nothing proven for effectiveness. The report called for better testing methods and better standards of which to rate effectiveness of the treatment.

While some patients claim they have had vast improvements in their physical situations, the scientific community as a whole does not currently embrace this assumption. For those who have experienced an improved condition, it is promising that further studies will reveal more positive information.

Because testing remains inconclusive, the implementation of improved standards for measuring results is warranted since the success rate is reported to be so high among individuals who have undergone spinal decompression treatment.




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