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What is Spinal Decompression
Therapy?
Spinal decompression therapy is a non-surgical,
comfortable traction therapy for the relief of back and leg
pain or neck and arm pain. During this procedure, by cycling
through distraction and relaxation phases and by proper positioning,
a spinal disc can be isolated and placed under negative pressure,
causing a vacuum effect within it.ˆtop
What can this vacuum
effect do?
The vacuum effect accomplishes two things.
From a mechanical standpoint, disc material that has protruded
or herniated outside the normal confines of the disc can be
pulled back within the disc by the vacuum created within the
disc. Also, the vacuum within the disc stimulates in growth
of blood supply, secondarily stimulating a healing response.
This results in pain reduction and proper healing at the injured
site.ˆtop
What machine is used
for this purpose?
There are a number of spinal decompression
machines presently used in the United States. After significant
research, Hopkins Clinic for Physical Medicine has chosen
to use the Triton DTS machine manufactured
by Chattanooga, Inc., the premier manufacturer of physical
therapy machines.ˆtop
Who can benefit from
Spinal Decompression Therapy?
Spinal decompression therapy is designed to
unload the spinal disc. Any back pain or neck pain caused
in whole or in part by a damaged disc may be helped by spinal
decompression therapy. These conditions include herniated,
protruding or bulging discs, spinal stenosis, sciatica or
radiculopathy (pinched nerves).ˆtop
Are there conditions
where Spinal Decompression is not indicated?
Spinal decompression therapy is usually not
recommended for pregnant women, or patients who have severe
osteoporosis, severe obesity or severe nerve damage. It is
not recommended for patients over 70. However, every patient
is evaluated on an individual basis. Spinal surgery with instrumentation
(screws and metal plates or "cages") is also contraindicated.
Surgery to the discs without fusion or fusion using bony replacement
is not contraindicated.ˆtop
How often do I take treatment
sessions? How long does each session last?
Each session includes decompression therapy
and spinal stabilization exercises and takes about 1 hour.
Spinal decompression is usually performed 3-5 times a week
for 15-20 sessions.ˆtop
What are the results
of Spinal Decompression Therapy?
Over 70% of patients have good pain relief.
This success rate is similar to surgical results.ˆtop
I have had spinal surgery,
but continue to have pain. Can I try Spinal Decompression
Therapy?
Spinal decompression therapy can help people
with back pain after failed spinal surgery. It can be performed
in most patients who have not been left with an unstable spine
after surgery.ˆtop
Spinal
Decompression Machine - Triton DTS
The Triton DTS represents the finest Decompression
Therapy System available today. Lumbar, Cervical and Wrist
Decompression Therapy can be delivered utilizing the Triton
DTS in a controlled and proven method, all at a fraction of
the cost of competitive devices.
The Triton DTS represents 25 years of experience
in design combined with a revolutionary belting system designed
for quick setup, comfort and effectiveness.
Realizing the time constraints of today's
clinician, the Triton DTS utilizes a quick setup belting system
for both spinal and wrist Decompression Therapy, with memory
recall, allowing you to belt-up and start treatment in as
little as one minute.
Triton DTS delivers exact force, continuously
monitors progress and makes adjustments to poundage due to
muscle guarding or patient relaxation. With each decompression
pull the friction free table overcomes gravitational forces,
and returns to a neutral position through a recoil device.
Flexibility is a priority, so the Triton DTS includes Cervical
and Wrist Decompression attachments. A High Volt Stimulator
is included to improve local circulation to the target tissue
and relax muscles. DTS includes a Stabilizer Biofeedback device
for the rehabilitative phase assuring that your patient regains
control of the core stabilizing muscles in the low back. Traditional
techniques have not proven to be very effective on chronic
disc related low-back and neck conditions. Considerable research
has produced a relatively new therapy that is upwards of 80%
effective in treating chronic disc problems. This treatment,
known as Decompression Therapy, has opened the floodgates
of new patients to the Chiropractors offering this therapy.
One of the most common questions about Decompression
Therapy is "what's the difference between Decompression
Therapy and traditional traction or flexion/distraction"?
Obviously we are using a "Y-Axis" traction force
but we are using it differently. The provable outcome of traditional
traction or flexion-distraction is distraction and mobilization.
Various live human studies have proven that traction and flexion
distraction can cause spinal musculature to guard producing
a significant increase in systolic disc pressure. Proponents
of the Cox Technique point to cadaver studies showing a resultant
negative pressure, however living people tend to still be
able to muscle guard (reflexive and anticipatory) which has
been proven in study after study to actually increase disc
pressure.
Decompression Therapy uses a tractive force that is carefully
applied in such a manner as to overcome the patient's
ability to anticipate or reflexively guard against the force
thereby creating total relaxation in the spinal musculature.
This relaxation has proven to create the conditions necessary
to unload the vertebral segments causing significant negative
systolic pressure in the disc. Enough that most herniations
can be non-surgically retracted and collagenous binding can
begin where tearing of the annular fibers has occurred. Think
of it like this, the only way to achieve decompression in
the spine is to separate bones. If all of the barriers to
decompression are not overcome the best you can hope for is
soft tissue separation and a potential increase in disc pressure.
So what are the barriers that must be overcome in order to
accomplish disc decompression (true unloading) and not just
soft tissue distraction?
1. First the patient must be in a correct and
comfortable posture and the table must accommodate all types
of morphology. Postures: Prone Holding (very slender patients,
patients with breathing problems, patients with thoracic herniations
[rare]), Prone Restrained (patients with upper extremity compromise,
patients who can't lay supine) Supine Angular, (patients
who can't lay prone, large breasted women, budweiser
challenged men, angled pulls at specific vertebral levels),
Side Lying Pulls, (patients who are unable to lay prone or
supine, antalgia), Positional Pulls, (patients who are severely
antalgic; it is important to mirror the angle of antalgia
and not straighten patients who have a protective scoliosis).
The table must be stable and be able to lift large weights.
Table surfaces must be able to place the body into flexion
or extension or into a recumbent supine posture.
2. A belting/restraint system is necessary and
must focus distraction directly to the iliac crests with correct
center-line pull axis. There must be no venous or breathing
compromise. The belting process must be quick, efficient and
comfortable. Otherwise the patient becomes frustrated and
tense, anticipating an uncomfortable and lengthy treatment.
3. A Split Table is necessary and must go from
frictional Z-force resistance to free floating in a controlled
release fostered by a retraction mechanism. There must be
no spike in poundage as Y-Axis force is applied. The body
will react to any spike in poundage with muscle guarding.
4. A controlled progressive onset of Y-Axis
pull to peak force over at least 120 seconds. This pull features
at least 3 incremental steps to peak poundage with a rest
at each incremental step. We are sneaking up on the body with
the force. This prevents guarding.
5. A cycled release from peak poundage during
treatment to a REST poundage that does not release tension.
Cycles must be quantified and reproducible. Release from peak
to rest poundage must be aided by a retraction mechanism which
improves the intermittent aspect and thus imbibition.
6. A controlled regressive release from peak
force over at least 120 seconds. This prevents spasm and allows
for a comfortable return to a positive systolic pressure in
the disc. We don't want to undo any collagenous binding
of the annular fibers with sudden repressurization of the
disc.
The key to gaining negative disc pressure is
to reduce the MIS-APPLICATION of force. Decompression Therapy
is highly specific and codified and reproducible. It's
sole outcome is directed towards improved disc healing based
on known mechanisms of the preeminence and predominance of
the disc's role in back pain. Overcoming the barriers
to decompression creates a complete state of comfort and relaxation;
bones separate and decompression occurs
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