Conservative Treatment For Axial Spinal Decompression

Introduction

The spine holds the body together by ensuring that it is kept upright and not in pain when it is in motion. The musculoskeletal system is connected to the spine as the spine makes sure that the body’s center is supported when a person moves, walks, twists, and turns when doing daily activities. When the back gets injured, or the spinal cord gets compressed, it can cause back and spinal pain issues that can hinder a person causing them to be in immense pain and affect their daily lives. Even neck pain can be a nuisance as the cervical discs get compressed and the muscles get stiff. Luckily, many treatments can alleviate back pain and help with neck pain through non-surgical methods. In this article, we will be looking at axial pain and how it affects the neck, and how cervical axial decompression can alleviate neck pain. By referring patients to qualified and skilled providers specializing in spinal decompression therapy. To that end, and when appropriate, we advise our patients to refer to our associated medical providers based on their examination. We find that education is the key to asking valuable questions to our providers. Dr. Alex Jimenez DC provides this information as an educational service only. Disclaimer

Can my insurance cover it? Yes, it may. If you are uncertain, here is the link to all the insurance providers we cover. If you have any questions, please call Dr. Jimenez at 915-850-0900.

What Is Axial Pain?

The spine is an S-shaped curve protected by ligaments, soft tissues, the spinal cord, and spinal discs from injuries. When the spine gets injured, many back issues start to affect the spine as the spinal discs get compressed, herniated, or even touch the nerve root like the sciatic nerve, causing sharp shooting pain down the leg. However, it is known as axial pain when a person starts to have mixed pain symptoms that begin to affect a person’s quality of life. Research studies have shown that axial pain is considered a syndrome with both nociceptive and neuropathic pain while also being a high socioeconomic impact on people. When individuals have neuropathic pain, it can be due to the result of injured nerves that will contribute to back pain and neck pain.

Neck Pain

As one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders that affect many individuals, research studies have shown that neck pain is a multifactorial disease that causes individuals to be in pain. Some of the risk factors that can cause neck pain can be from:

• Chronic stress
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Autoimmune diseases
• Neuromusculoskeletal disorders

Other research studies have shown that since the neck is flexible and supports the head’s weight, it is vulnerable to many injuries and conditions that will cause pain and restricted movements like muscle strains, worn-out joints, nerve compression, and whiplash injuries. There are also two types of neck pains that can affect the cervical spine: axial pain, where the pain is felt in the neck mostly, and radical pain, where the pain affects the shoulders. 

How To Operate The DRX9000-Video

The video above explains how to operate the DXR9000 decompression machine. The DRX9000 is part of spinal decompression therapy. It utilizes traction to gently stretch the spine to all the nutrients that go back into the spine and cause instant relief to many individuals. Many decompression machines allow many decompression treatments to the lumbar spine and provide relief to the cervical spine. With physical therapy, decompression therapy can alleviate the painful symptoms that affect a person’s quality of life and continue on their wellness journey. If you want to learn more about spinal decompression therapy, this link will explain the benefits of spinal decompression and how it can alleviate low back pain symptoms.

How Cervical Axial Decompression Reduces Neck Pain

Since many individuals suffer from neck pain, many treatments can alleviate neck pain. Research studies have shown that treatment for neck pain usually depends on the cause and the best way to reduce neck pain includes:

• Gentle stretches
• Use heat or ice packs
• Traction therapy
• Physical therapy

With traction therapy, many individuals are placed in a supine position on a decompression traction table and are strapped in so they won’t slide off. For cervical treatment, individuals are lying on the table as their head is positioned in a cervical cradle unit and strapped in as the traction machine gently stretches the cervical spinal joints to reduce the pressure on the neck. Research studies have shown that cervical decompression can directly reduce the volume of the hernia by creating negative pressure on the intervertebral discs to cause instant relief. Cervical decompression can also increase the intervertebral disc height and decompress the cervical nerve root to diminish the painful symptoms that cause neck pain.

Conclusion

All in all, neck pain is common for many individuals worldwide, caused by stress, injuries, or neuromusculoskeletal disorders. With neck pain, many individuals will feel muscle stiffness and compressed discs that can hinder a person and cause many unwanted issues that they don’t need. Utilizing decompression therapy can help alleviate neck pain and help repair the cervical disc by allowing the nutrients to rehydrate the cervical spine. With physical therapy, many individuals can feel instant relief from decompression and even add small changes to their lifestyle habits that can lower their stress levels and continue on their wellness journey without being in pain.

References

Förster, Matti, et al. “Axial Low Back Pain: One Painful Area–Many Perceptions and Mechanisms.” PloS One, Public Library of Science, 2 July 2013, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3699535/.

Kazeminasab, Somaye, et al. “Neck Pain: Global Epidemiology, Trends and Risk Factors.” BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, BioMed Central, 3 Jan. 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8725362/.

Medical Professionals, Cleveland Clinic. “Neck Pain: Causes, Treatments, at-Home Remedies.” Cleveland Clinic, 12 Dec. 2019, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21179-neck-pain.

Staff, Mayo Clinic. “Neck Pain.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 31 July 2020, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/neck-pain/symptoms-causes/syc-20375581.

Xu, Qing, et al. “Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression System Traction Combined with Electroacupuncture in the Treatment of Multi-Segmental Cervical Disc Herniation: A Case Report.” Medicine, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 21 Jan. 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8772752/.

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