What is lumbar/cervical decompression therapy?
Lumbar/cervical decompression therapy is a technique used at Arizona Pain Specialists to help relieve lumbar (low back) or cervical (neck) pain. The treatment is a safe and effective treatment for pain that is rapidly gaining popularity due to its exceptional results in treating chronic neck and back pain without surgery. Clinical studies are reporting that more than 70 percent of patients show significant reduction of pain.
How do I know if I’m a candidate for this treatment?
Before your treatments begin, you are evaluated by the staff of Arizona Pain Specialists to determine if you are a proper candidate. Your medical history, physical examination and MRI are carefully reviewed. If you are a candidate for therapy, an individual treatment plan is created for your specific needs. A typical plan may be as few as 12 to 15 treatments. It is important to complete your treatment plan, and thus the full healing process, even if you start to feel improvement early on. It is not uncommon to experience a significant reduction in pain early in your treatments.
What kind of equipment is used for the treatments?
Lumbar/cervical decompression therapy uses FDA-approved equipment. Simply described, this method of treatment uses a therapeutic table that is connected to a computer, to electronically distract and decompress your spinal structures. You rest on the table while a padded harness focuses the gentle, distractive force along your spinal column. This decompresses your spine, specifically the intervertebral discs and joints, and stretches your spinal muscles. These three spinal structures produce most of your pain.
Can I continue my other pain treatments?
The physicians and staff of Arizona Pain Specialists believe strongly in the multi-disciplinary approach to treating pain. Therefore, you will be encouraged to continue all of your other treatments while undergoing decompression. These may include injections, physical therapy, acupuncture, behavioral assessments and medications. We feel that the combined approach of multiple modalities is the most effective way to treat these complicated chronic pain problems.
What can I expect during each treatment session?
At the beginning of each session, you are fitted with a comfortable harness designed to offer optimal decompression. The computer is programmed in accordance with your specific treatment plan. Additionally, you are in complete control and can shut down the treatment at any time if discomfort should occur.
During each session, you experience multiple cycles of distraction/relaxation, which may take 15 to 20 minutes to complete. Each cycle is between 3 to 5 minutes. During the distraction cycle, you may feel some relief of the pressure in the area where your pain exists. During this time, your body is responding by flooding the area with valuable oxygen, blood and nutrients which help promote your body’s natural healing process.
|
|
