Spinal Decompression vs. Traction Devices
Learn the difference between spinal decompression and traction devices
Why is nonsurgical spinal decompression superior to using traction for your disc bulge or herniation?
Traction is defined as the act of being pulled, whereas decompression describes the relief of pressure. The problem with traction pulling on the spine is that the body reacts to a stretched position with muscle guarding and splinting. This prevents the disc spaces from opening and healing properly.
Nonsurgical spinal decompression has many advantages. In addition to pulling the spine, spinal decompression also senses how much force is used and can decrease the amount if necessary. We use the SpineMED® device which features computer controlled biofeedback response to monitor the force of pull at a rate of 20 milliseconds. If your body begins to tighten, the force load will be reduced immediately to avoid muscle guarding. This allows for effective distraction of the spine to reduce intervertebral disc pressure and result in objective improvements of disc hydration, reduction of disc bulges, and reduced nerve impingement. The SpineMED® device features a pelvic tilt feature rotating the pelvis between 0-25 degrees during lumbar sessions and the 0-30 degrees for cervical sessions, providing specificity by isolating the damaged disc in a comfortable position. Older models and traction devices use a tower design that raises and lowers the traction box.
Why spinal decompression?
Discover how nonsurgical spinal decompression can help you heal from a disc injury
Because of our specialty in Neurology, it is quite common for patients to consult us for nerve pain, numbness, tingling, cramping in areas that include the buttocks, hamstrings, and even their legs or arms. Many come to our office after other conservative approaches (sometimes even chiropractic) have failed them.
How can we help when others have not? Spinal decompression can be the game changer that is needed to promote healing in the disc.
In this study, the results speak for themselves.
Who :94 outpatients with discogenic LBP lasting for more than 12 weeks
What: Patients underwent motorized spinal decompression for 8 weeks. Each received 28- to 30-minute sessions daily for 2 weeks, tapering to 1 session per week.
Results: At follow- up, patients reported a mean rate of LBP reduction of 90% (SD, 1.15), and a satisfaction score of 8.55 on a scale ranging from 0 to 10 (median, 9).
It must be noted, that it is important to work with an experienced practitioner who is continuously monitoring your progress.
Read the full research article here: Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression
Response to “Lyme: The Infectious Disease Equivalent of Cancer, Says Top Duke Oncologist”
Learn how Lyme Disease is widely prevalent and what to do about it.
Today, Huffington Post published an interview with Dr. Neil Spector, Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology at Duke University School of Medicine. Here is an excerpt:
“Do you feel that ruling out Lyme should be imperative before diagnosing a patient
with an auto-immune disease like MS, Fibromyalgia, or Rheumatoid Arthritis?” – Dana Parish
“Absolutely! And Alzheimer’s. Something has to trigger an autoimmune disease. It doesn’t matter if this occurs in one percent or seventy-eight percent of the patient population–to allow people to go down a path of progressive neurodegeneration when they could be treated is unconscionable.”
Such profound words. It is a game changer for my patients to discover what is a catalyst to their autoimmunity. It can be hidden in the form of an environmental toxin such as chemical exposure, heavy metals, mold or even an infection like Lyme Disease. Managing the underlying trigger can drastically improve the patient’s recovery.
Read more about Dr. Neil Spector’s comparison of Lyme Disease and cancer.
Stop stretching before you work out!
Learn how to prevent injuries by using proper stretching techniques
The first time I heard this information, I was a studying Kinesiology at the University of Illinois many years ago. I was bewildered! Growing up playing basketball and running Cross Country, we always stretched before we were active. We wanted to prevent injuries. Little did I know, the evidence at UIUC suggested that was a huge mistake. However it was not until I studied Functional Neurology that I finally understood why. It has to do with the part of the muscle tendon that senses tension which are called Golgi Tendon Organs. You have heard of those heroic tales of a person lifting an entire car to save the life of a child trapped underneath? To do this, their brain has to override the signals coming from GTO’s that are screaming “this is too much tension, too much weight!”. Normally, GTO’s are designed to protect us from injury. When we perform static stretching before we work out, we are activating GTO’s and warning our muscles about tension. This has a net effect of decreasing strength.
A better strategy is to warm up with the exercise you are about to perform and perform dynamic stretching. Watch this video for more information.
Myths about stretchingAn exercise scientist explains what everyone gets wrong about stretching.
Posted by Tech Insider on Sunday, November 15, 2015