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As we grow older, we tend to suffer from health conditions such as back and neck pain. People spend so much of their time sited in the office, classrooms, and meetings. All these activities put a strain on the back and neck muscles. If you have suffered from back pain at one point in your life, then you definitely know how it negatively impacts your wellbeing. The good news is you don’t necessarily need surgery to solve the problem. Spinal decompression is a procedure that involves getting rid of the pressure that may have built up in the spinal discs. Doing this retracts the spinal discs back to their original position allowing for oxygen and fluids to flow freely. This in turn relieves both back and neck pain.
Pros:
1. Requires a short recovery period. No one wants to be bedridden for weeks awaiting recovery and this is usually the case with surgery. On the other hand, spinal decompression only requires a few hours session with the chiropractor and you are good to go. Pressure on the spine will be eliminated in no time and you can happily get back to your normal routine.
2. You don’t require any medication. Not everyone likes taking medication and this makes spinal decompression a great treatment for chronic back pain. Furthermore, having to buy prescription medicines can be quite expensive and you will have to deal with the side effects too. Spinal decompression is stress-free since the pain is alleviated with no issues.
3. Less costly. You might be suffering from back pain but you don’t really have the money for surgery. Surgery comes with a whole lot of other expenses and you may end up digging deeper into your pockets. For instance, you have to pay for hospital bills and pain medication. I can assure you that a spinal decompression will not cost more than half the money paid for the surgery.
4. No pain. The best part of spinal decompression is that it is totally painless. All you have to do is relax and let the chiropractor carry out the procedure. Afterward, you feel so much better that you might want to do it again.
5. it’s quite effective. You can rest assured that the first session of the procedure is enough to have a positive effect on your back. A harness is used to slowly and gently align the spine to its natural position and stretch it. What makes spinal decompression effective is it aids in the release of pressure from the discs and hence allows free flow of oxygen and fluids through the spine.
6. It is totally safe. When compared to surgery, spinal decompression is the safer option. In addition, it is safe regardless of age and there is definitely nothing to worry about when it’s being done by a professional. You will not have to be afraid of complications that at times happen during surgery. Once the procedure is performed, your inflamed spinal discs will start to heal naturally on their own.
7. It is non-invasive. You can agree with me that surgeries can be quite invasive. You have to go for a physical examination and schedule appointments with the doctor. Also, you will need to set aside a huge amount of money to cater for the surgery and hospital bills. When it comes to spinal decompression, you only need one hour to complete a procedure and go on with your normal life.
8. Very few side effects. Side effects resulting from spinal decompression are usually rare and few. You may experience some slight pain especially during the first sessions of your procedure but the pain goes away almost immediately. On the other hand, surgery comes with so many side effects and some of them can be fatal and life-threatening.
9. It’s relaxing. For someone who has been having sleepless nights as a result of back pain, a painless therapy such as spinal decompression can be a relaxing experience. The treatment gently gets your bulging discs into their normal position and allows for the free flow of fluids and oxygen through the spine.
10. The treatment is quick. Depending on your specific needs, a spinal decompression treatment should not take more than 45 minutes.
Cons:
1. In most cases, it is not covered by medical insurance. You may need up to 30 sessions of spinal decompression in order to achieve positive results. If this is so, the treatment can be quite expensive and may put a huge dent in your pocket. Unfortunately, many insurance companies do not cover this medical cost. This means that you will actually have to pay for it yourself. You have to put this into consideration when deciding on getting the treatment.
2. Requires many sessions for positive results. For an effective treatment, you will have to undergo at least 30 sessions depending on the severity of your condition. This may be a bit time-consuming to some people. You have to keep going back to the chiropractor and complete all the required sessions. For someone with a busy schedule, this kind of treatment might be a bit daunting to them. Remember, that one or two sessions will not work to eliminate your back pain.
3. It may not really fix the problem. While spinal decompression is effective for a majority of people, it may not really fix the underlying problem. The pain might go away for a while and then reappear once again. You have to know what works best for you. You may have already tried out spinal decompression therapy for your chronic back pain and the treatment seems to work for only a short period of time. At this point, you have to consider another treatment that is long-term. This means that there is an underlying health problem that has to be fixed.
4. There may be some side effects. Spinal decompression usually has very few side effects that occur rarely in a couple of patients. For instance, some patients report experiencing muscle spasms as a result of spinal decompression therapy. This, however, is only short-term. All said and done, muscle spasms can be a great cause of discomfort.
5. It is not suitable for everyone. It is not just everyone that can have spinal decompression therapy. It is not recommended for people who have osteoporosis, obesity, retinal detachment, cardiovascular diseases, and pregnant women.
6. Extended pain. In a few people, spinal decompression therapy did not really alleviate their back pain. Instead, it worsened it. This means that there are times this treatment does not work at all.
7. The machines used in spinal decompression are expensive. The initial cost of purchasing a decompression table is quite high. In addition, there is insurance and maintenance cost. This is one of the reasons why the treatment is at times costly.
8. The consultation takes time. You don’t just walk to a chiropractor’s office and start the treatment. The specialist, first of all, has to educate you on spinal decompression. This can take time before you fully understand what it’s all about.
9. Results may not be immediate. Some people will experience back pain relief almost immediately after the first few sessions. Others will not and this can be frustrating.
10. It is frightening to some people. The idea of lying on a decompression table is not welcome by everyone. Some people are afraid of it.
