How Decompression Therapy Can Alleviate Tension Headaches

Table of Contents

Introduction

All around the world, most everyone has some form of headache that can affect their mood. Headaches can range from a dull ache on the forehead like cluster headaches to sudden excruciating headaches like migraines. Headaches can also be associated with neck pain as they can cause a person to have a limited range of motion when turning their heads, as well as causing stiff neck muscles and compressed cervical spinal discs that can lead to herniation. Having these issues in the neck can dampen a person’s quality of life; however, treatments like cervical decompression therapy can help alleviate headaches and neck pain from a person giving them instant relief. In today’s article, we will be looking at what causes tension headaches and how cervical decompression traction can help alleviate tension headaches for many people. 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.

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What Causes Tension Headaches?

Have you ever wondered why your neck muscles feel tense after a stressful day, or there is a constant dull aching pain that throbbing on the neck or the side of your head? How about getting some relief after taking a break after a stressful day? This is a tension headache, and research studies have stated that tension headaches are common and can range from mild to moderate depending on the pain. Unlike migraines, tension headaches are bilateral and don’t worsen when a person is exercising. Another thing that tension headaches can do to a person is that even though they are common for many people, they can become frequent or even chronic and cause significant health issues if it is not treated right away.

Other research studies have found that tension headaches can be caused by many factors impacting a person’s life. Environmental and muscular factors like stress and posture can cause the neck muscles to strain themselves, causing the person to be hunched over. This will cause the neck muscles to become stiff and tender to the touch as the neck muscles have a limited range of motion for the head to turn. When the neck has a limited range of motion, it can cause a person to have muscle tightness around the neck area, and if it is not treated soon, it can develop into chronic issues over time.

Chronic Tension Headaches

Since tension headaches usually last between 30 minutes to 7 days, the pain can last for more than a month when it turns into chronic tension headaches. Research studies have found that since tension headaches are common when chronic tension headaches, the pain severity will cause a bilateral pressure sensation that can last for days, even months. Chronic tension headaches also have severe muscle tightness around the headband of the person’s head. Individuals suffering from chronic tension headaches would continue to function with their daily activities but have severely impaired performance when this happens. Luckily there are ways to treat both tension and chronic tension headaches, and that is through cervical decompression therapy.

Neck Decompression Therapy- Video

Neck Decompression Machine - Cervical Mechanical Traction

Having tightness around the neck muscles can be difficult when affecting a person’s daily activity. How about tension headaches that won’t go away and cause you to feel miserable. Then maybe cervical decompression can be the answer to all your cervical issues. The video above shows how cervical traction can help alleviate neck issues that are causing problems to the cervical spine. What traction does is that it gently stretches the cervical spine, causing instant relief to the compressed disc and getting the pressure off the cervical nerve root. Any headaches like migraines and tension headaches will be gone from the person’s head when this happens. Utilizing cervical decompression can help alleviate the pain caused by tension headaches and restore a person’s quality of life. If you want to learn more about cervical decompression therapy, this link will explain the benefits of decompression and how it can alleviate cervical pain symptoms.

How Cervical Decompression Traction Alleviates Tension Headaches

So there are ways to alleviate chronic tension headaches. Many people have used ice/heat packs to ease the tension from the affected area; some take medication to get rid of the headaches to continue to go about their day. At the same time, others incorporate daily physical activities to release all the tension they were holding in. However, one form of treatment has been making its way to help ease the symptoms of tension headaches and alleviate other issues affecting the neck and cervical spine, including cervical decompression traction therapy. Research studies have found that cervical traction is a non-surgical treatment used to provide relief by reducing cervical-related injuries while also widening the intervertebral foramen. Cervical traction also helps eliminate the pressure on the cervical nerve root and even alleviates cervical radiculopathy. Other research studies have found that cervical traction is a conservative method to increase the cervical blood vessels’ circulation by stretching the muscles and causing them to relax. Cervical traction also allows pain relief, increases cervical range of motion, and relieves headaches caused by neck pain.

Conclusion

Overall, headaches are a nuisance to many people and can impact a person’s quality of life. Since headaches range from a dull ache to excruciating throbbing pain, the pain can vary, and where it is located can affect the body. Since there are many forms of headaches, there are many treatments that can help alleviate the symptoms of chronic headaches. Cervical decompression therapy can help alleviate chronic headaches and reduce neck pain symptoms that are affecting the cervical spine. Cervical decompression therapy allows traction to gently pull on the cervical spine causing the compressed spinal discs to be taking the pressure off the cervical nerve root and instantly causing the relief to the neck. When people utilize decompression therapy as part of their wellness journey, they can regain their lives.

References

Abi-Aad, Karl R, and Armen Derian. “Cervical Traction – Statpearls – NCBI Bookshelf.” In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, 13 Aug. 2021, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470412/.

Chowdhury, Debashish. “Tension-Type Headache.” Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology, Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, Aug. 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3444224/.

Lee, Chang-Hyung, et al. “The Functional and Morphological Changes of the Cervical Intervertebral Disc after Applying Lordotic Curve Controlled Traction: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Study.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, MDPI, 19 June 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6617374/.

Loder, Elizabeth, and Paul Rizzoli. “Tension-Type Headache.” BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), BMJ Publishing Group Ltd., 12 Jan. 2008, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2190284/.

Shah, Nihir, and Sajid Hameed. “Muscle Contraction Tension Headache – Statpearls – NCBI …” In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, 7 Nov. 2021, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562274/.

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Relieving Migraine Headaches With Decompression Therapy

Dr. Alex Jimenez

Table of Contents

Introduction

Everybody all over the world suffers from some headache. It can come in various forms, and the pain can range from a dull ache that can go away in a few hours to an excruciating throbbing pain that can make a person stay in bed all day and last for weeks. Headaches can also cause muscle tension on the neck and can dampen a person’s daily life if it is not treated right away. Luckily the use of cervical decompression therapy can help alleviate any pain that the cervical spine is suffering from and can cause instant relief to many individuals suffering from headaches. This article looks at different types of headaches, including migraines, and how cervical decompression therapy can help relieve migraine headaches for many individuals. 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.

Download

Different Forms Of Headaches

Have you ever felt excruciating throbbing pain from the forehead that becomes a nuisance throughout the day? How about tension and pain on either side of the face that constantly pounds that laying in a dark, quiet room can only be the cure? Or turning your head causes muscle restriction on the neck and limits the range of motion? These are the many forms of headaches that can affect anybody on any given day. Research studies have defined headaches as pain from various disorders that usually affect the cervical spine. These disorders can range from muscle tension around the neck, being overly stressed, having an inadequate sleep, to wearing something tight around the head. Having headaches in their acute form can last for a few hours until they dissipate, but their chronic condition can cause severe neck and cervical spine issues.

When a person starts to feel pain in their neck, it can cause them to have a limited range of motion and cause reoccurring headaches known as cervicogenic headaches. Research studies have shown that cervicogenic headaches are mainly caused when the cervical root is compressed on the lower parts of the cervical spine, causing cervical radiculopathy. When this happens, it can cause many individuals to have neck pain and headaches from the neck to the head. Cervicogenic headaches can limit a person’s range of motion when they turn their head and irritate the cervical nerve root spread out from the neck to the shoulders.

Migraine Headaches

Have you ever felt a severe headache that makes you feel nauseated and become sensitive to light and that you only feel relief by just laying down in a dark, quiet room? This type of headache is known as a migraine, and research studies classified migraines as headaches with moderate to severe episodes considered unilateral. Having migraines can affect a person’s quality of life as they can last from a few days to a few weeks, depending on how severe the migraine is. Other research studies have shown that since migraines are the commonest causes of severe headaches, the pain is accompanied by a constellation of symptoms that can affect the body and the neck. Some of the common symptoms that are accompanied by migraines are:

Dizzyness
Nausea
Extreme light sensitivity
Avoiding physical activities
Extreme noise sensitivity

Non-surgical Decompression Therapy For Cervical Spine- Video

Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Therapy for the Cervical Spine / Pro Physio

Still feeling excruciating pain from the neck, and it is causing you headaches? How about a limited range of motion when turning your head? Well, cervical decompression therapy could be the answer to alleviating headaches and neck pain. The video above shows what cervical decompression therapy does by using the DRX9000. Cervical decompression allows the individual to lay on a traction table, strapping their head. In contrast, the traction table gently stretches the cervical spine to enable the compressed spinal discs to return to their original form and relieve the pressure on the cervical nerve root. This will alleviate neck pain symptoms like muscle stiffness and help treat severe headaches like migraines. If you want to learn more about spinal decompression therapy, this link will explain the benefits of spinal decompression and how it can alleviate cervical pain symptoms.

Cervical Decompression Therapy For Relieving Migraines

Finding any kind of relief for migraines usually involves a quiet, dark room to minimize the associated symptoms that can dampen a person’s day. Since research studies have stated that when the greater occipital nerve is being entrapped and compressed, it can actually cause the posterior part of the head excruciating pain. This can affect the upper parts of the cervical spine and cause migraines to become much worst. The best way to get the pressure off the greater occipital nerve and the cervical spine nerve root is through cervical decompression therapy.

Research studies have shown that cervical decompression has often been used to help treat many individuals suffering from neck pain. What cervical decompression does, is that it allows traction to be utilized on the cervical spine causing the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that encompass the cervical spine to be gently stretched. This will cause them to relax and reduce the sensory fibers’ pain transmission, causing instant relief. This gentle stretching from cervical decompression takes the compressed disc from the cervical spine and releases the pressure of the cervical nerve root, thus alleviating severe headaches like migraines.

Conclusion

When a person has a headache and neck pain, it can affect a person’s quality of life. Having headaches can dampen a person’s quality of life, depending on the severity. Headaches can range from a dull ache like a cluster headache to excruciating throbbing pain like a migraine. Luckily cervical decompression therapy allows the individual to have their cervical spine be gently stretched and takes the pressure off the cervical nerve root. This will cause the cervical spinal discs to be decompressed and allow an increase in disc height, alleviating the symptoms that are causing a person to have migraines and headaches. Incorporating cervical decompression therapy as part of your wellness journey will give you the relief you need to get by with your daily activities.

References

Bogduk, Nikolai. “The Neck and Headaches.” Neurologic Clinics, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Feb. 2004, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15062532/.

Eskilsson, Anja, et al. “Decompression of the Greater Occipital Nerve Improves Outcome in Patients with Chronic Headache and Neck Pain – a Retrospective Cohort Study.” Acta Neurochirurgica, Springer Vienna, Sept. 2021, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8357752/.

Persson, Liselott C G, et al. “Headache in Patients with Cervical Radiculopathy: A Prospective Study with Selective Nerve Root Blocks in 275 Patients.” European Spine Journal: Official Publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, Springer-Verlag, July 2007, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2219654/.

Pescador Ruschel, Marco A, and Orlando De Jesus. “Migraine Headache – Statpearls – NCBI Bookshelf.” In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, 30 Aug. 2021, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560787/.

Weatherall, Mark W. “The Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Migraine.” Therapeutic Advances in Chronic Disease, SAGE Publications, May 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4416971/.

Disclaimer

Health Consequences From Poor Posture

Dr. Alex Jimenez

Young female worker of car repair service bending over open engine compartment and looking for the reason of breakdown in workshop

Posture is the positioning of the body. There are two types of posture. Dynamic posture is how individuals position themselves when moving, like walking, running, or bending to lift an object. And static posture is how individuals position themselves when not in motion, like standing, sitting, or sleeping. Minimal stress is applied to the muscles and joints when practicing healthy posture. High-stress work and school combined with unhealthy body positions can cause health consequences to the spine, extremities, and musculoskeletal imbalances.

Table of Contents

Health Consequences

Poor postures do not always present with spine or extremity pain right away. This is because individuals will feel discomfort and have the strength and mobility to correct unhealthy/awkward positions and minimize stress. However, eventually, the pain will begin to present as the muscles and joints can only take so much that the ability to correct poor positioning does not matter as there is a developing injury taking place, causing inflammation, letting the body know there is something not right. This often leads to chronic stress and the unnecessary wearing down of the joints to compensate for the unhealthy positions.

Early Signs

Early signs of postural problems can include:

Inability to sit or stand for a long time.
Stiffness when rising from a chair.
Feeling of added physical exhaustion.

Leaving the condition untreated often leads to:

Muscle imbalances.
Loss of normal flexibility.
Discomfort and pain present for no apparent reason.

Unhealthy Posture Symptoms

Symptoms can include:

Slouching
Rounded shoulders.
Potbelly.
Bent knees when standing or walking.
Muscle fatigue.
Aches and pains.
Back pain.
Headache.

Postural Structure

Poor posture interferes and disrupts several of the body’s posture structures. These include:

Nervous system feedback.
Muscle strength and length.
The static slow-twitch muscle fibers help maintain posture without exerting too much energy and contribute to balance by sensing the body’s position.
Static muscle fibers burn energy slowly and can work for a long time without tiring.
The fast-twitch or phasic muscle fibers are used for movement and activity. These fibers quickly use up their energy.

Because the phasic fibers have to work overtime instead of the static fibers to maintain the body’s position, muscle fatigue, weakness, and pain begin to set in.

Health

Health consequences can include:

Misaligned musculoskeletal system.
The advanced wearing of the spine making it fragile and prone to injury.
Chronic pain.
Decreased flexibility.
Joint mobility is affected.
Balance issues.
Increased risk of falling.
Difficulty digesting food.
Difficulty breathing.

Chiropractic and Physical Therapy

Chiropractors and physical therapists specialize in evaluating and treating musculoskeletal dysfunctions and disorders, identifying and screening for postural dysfunction. Chiropractic adjustments can be highly effective combined with other treatment modalities like massaging the soft tissues to improve circulation, reduce swelling inflammation, and promote healing. Spinal decompression therapy can help stretch and realign the spine to relieve back and/or leg pain. A customized exercise program will stretch and strengthen the body to maintain a healthy posture. Health coaching combined with dietary management can help with pain and inflammation and strengthen muscles and bones.

DRX9000 Spinal Decompression

References

American Chiropractic Association. Maintaining good posture. acatoday.org/content/posture-power-how-to-correct-your-body-alignment. Accessed Jan. 28, 2019.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Spine basics. orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases–conditions/spine-basics/. Accessed Jan. 30, 2019.

Bauer BA. Chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation. In: Mayo Clinic Guide to Integrative Medicine. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2017.

Muscolino JE. Posture and the gait cycle. In: Kinesiology: The Skeletal System and Muscle Function. 3rd ed. Elsevier; 2017.

Wang G. Powered traction devices for intervertebral decompression: Health technology assessment update. Washington Department of Labor and Industries, June 14, 2004.

Waters, Thomas R, and Robert B Dick. “Evidence of health risks associated with prolonged standing at work and intervention effectiveness.” Rehabilitation nursing: the official journal of the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses vol. 40,3 (2015): 148-65. doi:10.1002/rnj.166

Neck Pain & Decompression Therapy

Dr. Alex Jimenez

Table of Contents

Introduction

Do you ever get that stiff feeling just by turning your head, or do your shoulders start to feel tense after a stressful day at work? How about feeling a headache coming on for no apparent reason? This is due to neck pain, and many factors can cause a person to have neck pain. Even though neck pain can be a nuisance to many individuals, there are therapeutic ways to alleviate neck pain: one of them is cervical decompression therapy. This article will look at what neck pain is, its symptoms, and how decompression therapy can help alleviate neck pain for many individuals. 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.

Download

What Is Neck Pain?

As part of the cervical spine, the neck supports the head while surrounding and protecting the spinal cord and allows a wide range of motion. Research studies have found that the neck has a coordinated network of nerves, bones, joints, and muscles that have an essential job but have several problems that can cause pain. Neck pain is a common complaint among many individuals, as the neck muscles are strained for long periods due to poor posture. Other research studies have found any injuries or conditions affecting the neck, causing a restricted range of motion. This can be scary for many individuals due to being hunched over by looking at their phones, being on the computer, even minor things like reading a book or suffering from an auto accident, and having rheumatoid arthritis can affect the neck.

The Symptoms For Dealing With Neck Pain

Pain can come in two types of forms, which are acute and chronic. Acute pain can become a dull, mild ache that can last from a few hours to a few days, depending on where the person is injured. Chronic pain, however, can become a nuisance as it can send constant radiating pain that can cause a hindrance to any part of the body. As research has shown, the pain can vary for neck pain as it can become mild and uncomfortable to excruciating, where excess movement can make it worst. Some of the most common neck pain symptoms usually involve:

Stiff neck
Sharp, stabbing pain in the lower neck
Soreness
Radicular pain
Cervical radiculopathy
Tension headaches

Even though neck pain can become a nuisance for many individuals, there are ways to alleviate the symptoms of neck pain and provide relief.

Cervical Decompression Therapy-Video

Cervical Decompression Therapy at CORE Chiropractic

Research studies have found that manipulation, stretching, and strengthening of the neck muscle can reduce the chronic pain symptoms that it has caused. The video above shows what cervical decompression does for many individuals suffering from cervical pain and neck pain. Cervical decompression therapy lets individuals lay their heads on the traction table and are strapped in. The traction machine gently stretches the cervical spine to release the compressed spinal disc. Cervical decompression therapy allows the compressed spinal nerve roots to be alleviated from the cervical spine. It will enable the beneficial oxygen to come back into the spinal disc and increase the disc height for the neck. 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 Can Decompression Therapy Help With Neck Pain

As stated earlier in the article, feeling stiffness when turning your head, feeling the tension in the shoulders, and having headaches pop up out of nowhere is scary when you don’t know how they happened. When these symptoms start to turn into chronic issues, it can be hard to find relief to get rid of the pain. Luckily there is a solution for alleviating neck pain, and cervical decompression therapy could help get rid of the pain. Cervical decompression therapy allows individuals to lay their heads on the traction table and be strapped in, causing the traction machine to stretch the neck to alleviate the painful symptoms gently. Research studies have found that cervical decompression therapy can relieve tension headaches and improve the range of motion. This will cause the spinal disc to be stretched and alleviate symptoms caused by cervical herniated discs. Combined with light stretching, cervical decompression therapy can also improve cervical disc herniation symptoms. Research shows that this combination of treatments promotes neuromuscular tissue edema and inflammatory absorption from the cervical herniated disc. This will allow the restoration of the curvature of the cervical vertebrae and reduce disc pressure by improving it.

Conclusion

Having any neck pain is a nuisance, and if it is not treated right away, it can become an issue over time. Neck pain can cause stiffness to the neck muscles and disrupt the range of motion, making it unbearable for the individual to turn their heads from left to right and up and down. Luckily treatments like cervical decompression therapy allow individuals to feel relief from neck pain. Cervical decompression therapy provides traction to the individual by stretching the neck ligament gently to release the compressed cervical spinal discs and will enable the reduction of pain that is causing discomfort to the neck. When this happens, many individuals suffering from neck pain will feel instant relief and an improvement in their range of motion from their necks.

References

Binder, Allan I. “Neck Pain.” BMJ Clinical Evidence, BMJ Publishing Group, 4 Aug. 2008, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2907992/.

Curtis, Scott. “All about Neck Pain.” Spine, Spine-Health, 9 Dec. 2019, www.spine-health.com/conditions/neck-pain/all-about-neck-pain.

Curtis, Scott. “Neck Pain Symptoms.” Spine, Spine-Health, 9 Dec. 2019, www.spine-health.com/conditions/neck-pain/neck-pain-symptoms.

Landers, Merrill R, et al. “Anterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion on Neck Range of Motion, Pain, and Function: A Prospective Analysis.” The Spine Journal: Official Journal of the North American Spine Society, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Nov. 2013, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24041918/.

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/.

Disclaimer

How Decompression Therapy Can Help With Leg Pain

Dr. Alex Jimenez

Table of Contents

Introduction

The body can bend, twist, turn, and move without pain, while the spine allows the body to be held upright. When the body gets injured, and the spine starts to feel pain from the ligaments, the nerve root, the spinal discs, and the spinal cord, it can cause either leg pain, back pain, or both depending on the severity. The pain can range from a dull, mild ache to a sudden, sharp shooting pain that can radiate from the leg to the feet. Luckily there are many treatments to help alleviate lumbar pain and can bring back a person’s quality of life. In this article, we will be looking at what leg pain is, its factors, and its symptoms, as well as how decompression can relieve leg pain for many individuals. 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.

Download

What Is Leg Pain?

Ever wonder, “why are my legs aching so much?” or “my legs can’t stop twitching even when I am sitting down?” How about feeling a sharp pain from the buttock down to the back of the leg to the feet. This is known as leg pain, and research shows that leg pain can be intermittent or constant in the body. Not only that, but leg pain can have a range of sensations, from a dull ache to a throbbing, burning sensation that travels the leg itself. Now many causes can contribute to leg pain, and it usually starts in the lower back, the pelvis, or even the leg itself. Some of the common causes include:

Spinal nerve compression or irritation
Spinal cord compression
Pelvic and hip problems

The Symptoms & Factors Of Leg Pain

As stated earlier, one of the causes contributing to leg pain is low back pain. Research studies have noted that around 60% of individuals with low back pain have also suffered leg pain. When leg pain is associated with low back pain, it is known as radicular pain. Leg pain can also affect the spinal nerve root involvement, and other research studies have found that low back-related leg pain is one of the most common variations of low back pain and can contribute to sciatica. Some of the symptoms that individuals are experiencing with leg pain include:

Leg weakness due to the lumbar or sacral spinal nerve being compressed
Sciatica
Pins and needles sensation
Numbness from prolonged sitting or standing
Excruciating back pain

Decompression Therapy For The Lumbar Spine-Video

Non-Surgical Lumbar Spinal Decompression using the DRS Protocol™ at Auth Chiropractic

The video above shows how non-surgical decompression is used for the lumbar spine and can help alleviate a wide variety of issues that are not only affecting the back but can also alleviate other symptoms that are associated with low back pain like sciatica, herniated discs, and leg pain to name a few. What decompression therapy does to the individual is that it utilizes traction by gently stretching the spine allowing the compressed spinal discs to relieve themselves and stop touching the nerve roots spread out from the spine. This causes relief to many individuals that are suffering from sciatica and leg pain that is associated with low back pain. When the spine is being decompressed, the beneficial nutrients rehydrate the spinal discs and increase their disc height, allowing a person to get back their quality of life. 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.

Decompression Therapy Can Relieve Leg Pain

As stated earlier, the questions of “Why are my legs aching so much?” or “Why can’t my legs stop twitching when I am sitting down?” or even feeling a sudden sharp pain that runs from the lower back down to the leg have been searched all over the internet. The search results have stated that this is due to leg pain. How about treatments for leg pain? Most of the results show that light stretches, leg surgery, or taking pain medication can help; however, non-surgical treatments can help alleviate leg pain, and that is by utilizing decompression therapy.

Research studies have found that low back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders and that leg pain is associated with low back pain causing radicular symptoms. The lumbar spinal nerve roots are compressed when this happens, causing a burning, electric sharp pain that affects the back and legs. With decompression therapy, it allows the individual to feel the gentle stretch on their spine, causing a reduction in the intra-disc pressure and disc protrusion while also increasing the disc space and improving leg mobility. Other research studies have also found that the combination of both manual and spinal decompression therapy can help decrease the internal pressure of the intervertebral disc while increasing its height and taking pressure off the nerve root that is causing pain to the lower back and the leg. Decompression therapy also helps rehydrate the spinal discs and extend the annulus fibrosis and posterior ligaments to alleviate nerve root adhesion and disc herniation.

Conclusion

When the body is suffering from an injury that starts to affect the back and leg, it can cause severe issues for the individual. The pain ranges from a mild, dull ache to a sharp, sudden pain that can radiate down the lower back to the leg. Therefore, leg pain is associated with low back pain as the compressed spinal discs affect the nerve roots that are spread throughout the entire body. When a nerve root is irritated or compressed on the legs, it can cause symptoms like sciatica to initiate a sharp pain running down the leg itself. Luckily treatments like decompression therapy can help alleviate leg pain in a non-surgical way by utilizing traction to gently stretch the spinal disc off the compressed nerve root to alleviate symptoms causing low back and leg pain. Incorporating decompression therapy as part of your wellness journey can provide tremendous benefits to becoming pain-free.

References

Amjad, Fareeha, et al. “Effects of Non-Surgical Decompression Therapy in Addition to Routine Physical Therapy on Pain, Range of Motion, Endurance, Functional Disability and Quality of Life versus Routine Physical Therapy Alone in Patients with Lumbar Radiculopathy; a Randomized Controlled Trial.” BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, BioMed Central, 16 Mar. 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8924735/.

Cooper, Grant. “Leg Pain and Numbness: What Might These Symptoms Mean?” Spine, Spine-Health, 30 Sept. 2019, www.spine-health.com/conditions/leg-pain/leg-pain-and-numbness-what-might-these-symptoms-mean.

Konstantinou, Kika, et al. “Characteristics of Patients with Low Back and Leg Pain Seeking Treatment in Primary Care: Baseline Results from the Atlas Cohort Study.” BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, BioMed Central, 4 Nov. 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4634730/.

Oh, Hyunju, et al. “Effects of the Flexion-Distraction Technique and Drop Technique on Straight Leg Raising Angle and Intervertebral Disc Height of Patients with an Intervertebral Disc Herniation.” Journal of Physical Therapy Science, The Society of Physical Therapy Science, Aug. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6698474/.

Stynes, Siobhán, et al. “Classification of Patients with Low Back-Related Leg Pain: A Systematic Review.” BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, BioMed Central, 23 May 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4877814/.

Disclaimer

Leg Injuries Car Accidents and Crashes

Dr. Alex Jimenez

Physiotherapist massaging leg of patient lying on Massage Table in hospital

Individuals drive to jobs, to school, run errands, take road trips, spending a lot of time on the road. Accidents and crashes happen more frequently with all kinds of injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Commission has found that 37% of car accidents and crashes involve leg injuries and damage. Chiropractic physical rehabilitation and functional medicine can help heal injuries getting the individual back to everyday life.

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Leg Injuries

Common leg injuries include:

Bruising and Cuts

Bruising and cuts are typical from the impact and the body getting slammed around. Lacerations can be noticed right away, but bruising comes from blood pooling underneath the skin and can take time to present, possibly 24 to 48 hours. Most bruises and cuts heal independently from home first aid care. A standard recovery used to take care of bruising is R.I.C.E or rest, ice, compression, and elevation. This helps the healing process; however, if the injury/s are more severe, chiropractic can help with therapeutic massage to relieve pain and strengthen the injured muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

ACL Injuries

The femur or thigh bone has several bands of tissue connecting it to the patella or kneecap and tibia or shin bone. One of the bands is the anterior cruciate ligament or ACL. Injuries to this band of tissue are common in sports. Car accidents and crashes are another common cause, specifically tearing the ligament. Individuals experiencing a tear may notice some or all of the following symptoms:

A cracking or popping sound when the accident or crash took place.
Swelling in and around the knee.
Severe pain in and around the knee.
Unstable and unsteady when walking or standing.
Reduced range of motion that makes walking or moving difficult.

A chiropractor can help treat the injury and help correct any muscular imbalances.

Meniscus Tears

Tears to the meniscus are also common in car accidents and crashes. The meniscus is a part of the knee. Two wedge-shaped pieces of cartilage provide a cushion where the femur and tibia meet to absorb shock. The wedges are called menisci.

When the meniscus tears, individuals might feel or hear a pop and could feel the leg suddenly give out.
Swelling in the knee.
Some pain but still be able to walk.
The knee will be stiff for the next few days.
More difficulty bearing weight or walking.

The RICE method is a recommended method of self-care. Many meniscus tears do not require surgery to improve knee function. Mild to moderate meniscus tears can be successfully treated with chiropractic techniques like soft tissue work, corrective stretches, and exercises. Surgery could eventually be necessary for severe cases to repair the meniscus to prevent long-term complications.

Broken Crushed Bones

From the hips to the toes, the bottom half of the body bones are vulnerable to fractures. Physical trauma from prolonged pressure on the body can cause bones to get shattered from a crush injury. Crush injuries affect the bones, soft tissues, and other leg areas. Different forms of fractures range in severity. There are partial fractures that do not cause the bone to separate and complete fractures that break apart and open fractures that pierce the skin. Some fractures are hard to detect for up to several days.

Chiropractic care can help the body heal and recover from a bone fracture. A patient’s bone density is evaluated and tested with an individualized treatment plan to help regain and maintain optimal bone strength. The treatments strengthen the muscles, reduce stiffness, improve nutrition, and relieve pain. Manipulation adjustments, rehabilitation, relaxation techniques, and dietary health coaching help individuals heal faster and strengthen their bones. The objective is to help regain increased mobility and range of motion.

Sciatica

Car accidents and crashes are one instance where the spine can be damaged enough to bring on sciatic pain where no back problems were present before. The impact from a car accident can cause the discs to be knocked out of place, damaged, and/or rupture around the surrounding tissue. Any of these results can pinch the sciatic nerve, leading to pain and other sciatica symptoms. Chiropractic can realign the spine and relieve pressure from the nerve/s.

DOC Spinal Decompression Table

Non-Surgical Path To Pain-Free Living

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References

Atkinson, T, and P Atkinson. “Knee injuries in motor vehicle collisions: a study of the National Accident Sampling System database for the years 1979-1995.” Accident; analysis and prevention vol. 32,6 (2000): 779-86. doi:10.1016/s0001-4575(99)00131-1

Foulk, David M, and Brian H Mullis. “Hip dislocation: evaluation and management.” The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons vol. 18,4 (2010): 199-209. doi:10.5435/00124635-201004000-00003

Reynolds, April. “The fractured femur.” Radiologic technology vol. 84,3 (2013): 273-91; quiz p.292-4.

Wilson, L S Jr et al. “Foot and ankle injuries in motor vehicle accidents.” Foot & ankle international vol. 22,8 (2001): 649-52. doi:10.1177/107110070102200806

The Effects Of Decompression Therapy For Musculoskeletal Disorders

Dr. Alex Jimenez

Table of Contents

Introduction

The body utilizes the spine to make sure that everything is moving, bending, twisting, and turning without feeling any pain from the back. The spine is an S-shaped curve protected by ligaments, soft tissue from the musculoskeletal system, the spinal cord, and spinal discs. When the back suffers from an injury or has pulled a muscle, it can cause chronic issues to the back and make a person’s life miserable. Luckily there are therapeutic ways to relieve chronic back issues and can alleviate the symptoms it has caused to the individual. In this article, we will be looking at musculoskeletal disorders and their symptoms and how decompression therapy has an effect on alleviating musculoskeletal disorders from the back. 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.

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What Are Musculoskeletal Disorders?

As research studies have stated, the musculoskeletal system combines bone, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and soft tissues that work together to support the body’s weight and help individuals move. The spine is located at the back of the body, where it connects to the musculoskeletal tissues and keeps it upright. Many individuals must keep their musculoskeletal system healthy and functional; however, a wide range of disorders and conditions can affect the musculoskeletal system making the body succumb to diseases and injuries that can limit its movement. This is known as musculoskeletal disorders.

Research studies have found that musculoskeletal pain and disorders affect the bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons throughout the entire body. Sometimes the pain can become acute, and it can become sudden and severe or chronic, which can hinder a person’s ability to do any daily activities. Some of the most common types of musculoskeletal disorders that can affect the body include:

Bone pain: Fractures or musculoskeletal injuries
Joint pain: Stiffness and inflammation
Muscle pain: Muscle spasms and cramps
Tendon and ligament pain: Sprains, strains, and overused tissues

The Symptoms

Research studies have shown that musculoskeletal disorders are the leading source of pain and disability worldwide. With a variety of back and neck disorders, arthritic conditions, and soft tissue syndromes that involve the tendons, ligaments, muscles, and cartilages that make up the main bulk of musculoskeletal disorders, it can cause many people to go to their primary physician and get time off work. Other research studies have shown that the symptoms that are caused by musculoskeletal disorders include:

Stiffness
Fatigue
Muscle spasms
Joint aches
Fibromyalgia
Swelling
Low Back Pain

The Chattanooga Triton Traction Table-Video

The video above shows how the Chattanooga Triton is being used to alleviate back issues that have been affected by musculoskeletal disorders. Traction therapy is a form of spinal decompression therapy that utilizes traction on a person’s spine, gently stretching it. This will cause the beneficial nutrients and oxygen to go back into the spine and alleviate pain in the back. Since back pain is one of the most common types of musculoskeletal pain that can make a person miserable, decompression therapy can help with low back pain and make a person get back their quality of life. 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 Does Decompression Therapy Help Musculoskeletal Disorders?

Decompression therapy is a non-surgical treatment that allows for individuals who have musculoskeletal disorders like low back pain. Decompression therapy allows the individual to lie down on the traction table, be strapped in, and the traction machine gently pulls on the spine to cause instant relief. Research studies have found that utilizing decompression therapy and even physical therapy can help improve the lumbar range of motion, back muscle endurance, and functional disability that musculoskeletal disorders have caused. Other research studies have also shown that non-surgical spinal decompression therapy can reduce pain in the back and promote an increase in the spinal disc height and restore it. When individuals start to feel relief from their back, they can continue with their wellness journey.

Conclusion

All in all, musculoskeletal disorders are a wide variety of disorders that affects the bones, ligaments, tissues, and muscles all over the body. Low back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders that causes the individual to have pain and stiffness in the back muscles. Luckily treatments like spinal decompression therapy allow individuals who are suffering from feel relief from chronic back issues and gently stretch the spine to allow the beneficial nutrients to re-hydrate the spinal disc. With the combination of physical therapy, many individuals won’t have to suffer any longer, knowing that decompression may be their relief.

References

Apfel, Christian C, et al. “Restoration of Disk Height through Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Is Associated with Decreased Discogenic Low Back Pain: A Retrospective Cohort Study.” BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, BioMed Central, 8 July 2010, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2912793/.

Malik, Khalid M, et al. “Musculoskeletal Disorders a Universal Source of Pain and Disability Misunderstood and Mismanaged: A Critical Analysis Based on the U.S. Model of Care.” Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Kowsar, 15 Dec. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6348332/.

Medical Professionals, Cleveland Clinic. “Musculoskeletal Pain: Types, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic, 10 Mar. 2021, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14526-musculoskeletal-pain.

Medical Professionals, Cleveland Clinic. “Musculoskeletal System: Arthritis, Lower Back Pain, Bones, Muscles.” Cleveland Clinic, 11 Dec. 2020, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/12254-musculoskeletal-system-normal-structure–function.

Watson, Stephanie, and Cathy Lovering. “Musculoskeletal Pain: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 22 Oct. 2021, www.healthline.com/health/tgct/musculoskeletal-pain.

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How Spinal Decompression Therapy Relieves DDD

Dr. Alex Jimenez

Table of Contents

Introduction

Inside the body, the spine allows it to move around and do all sorts of things without pain. The spine is protected by ligaments, soft tissue from the musculoskeletal system, spinal discs, and the spinal cord in an S-shaped curve that holds the body together. When the back gets injured or pulls a muscle, it can cause unwanted back issues that can cause a person to be in pain. When this happens, the individual suffering from back pain will be hindered from their daily activities and be miserable if it is not treated right away. Luckily, treatments like spinal decompression therapy can help alleviate back pains and other issues that affect the body’s back and spine. In this article, we will be looking at what DDD is, its symptoms, and how spinal decompression can help relieve DDD. 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.

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What Is DDD?

Since low back pain is common for many individuals worldwide, some of the causes of low back pain are DDD or degenerative disc disease. Research studies show that DDD (degenerative disc disease) usually happens when the spinal discs start to wear down naturally due to age. The spinal disc is a rubbery cushion between the spine’s vertebrae, and they help people move comfortably. When the spinal disc starts to wear and tear naturally through age, it can cause the vertebrae to rub against each other and cause pain.

Other research studies have found that DDD is often misunderstood since the symptoms affect either the neck or the back, causing sudden shooting pain in the arms or legs. DDD can also progress over time if it is not treated right away, causing the individual to be in pain and can make them unstable. Research studies have found that the two main factors of DDD are inflammation and abnormal micro-motion instability. How inflammation plays in DDD is that the inflammatory proteins from the spinal disc interiors are leaked when degeneration affects the spinal disc and causes swelling around the spinal structure. Abnormal micro-motion instability starts to affect the spinal discs’ outer layer by causing small, unnatural motions in-between the vertebrae, thus causing irritation and tension to the surrounding muscles, joints, and nerve roots, making the person become unstable and be in more pain.

The Symptoms Of DDD

Research studies have shown that when DDD affects the spine, it also affects the nervous system surrounding the spinal disc. DDD also causes structural failure, a radial tear in the annulus fibrosis, herniated disc, and calcification to the endplate of the spine. Since flare-up pains and abnormal stress on the spine can be due to recent activities or suddenly come up for no apparent reason, research studies have shown that pain episodes from DDD can last between a few days to several weeks before going back to be low-level back pain. Some of the common symptoms of DDD can include:

Increased pain from lifting heavy objects, bending or twisting the spine
A “give out” sensation on the spine
Muscle tension
Sudden sharp, radiating pain from the cervical or lumbar parts of the spine
Increased pain from holding a position for too long

Spinal Decompression Therapy & DDD-Video

The video above shows how spinal decompression can help alleviate DDD (degenerative disc disease). Spinal decompression therapy is utilized for many individuals suffering from chronic back issues like DDD, herniated disc, and low back pain. What spinal decompression therapy does is that it allows the individual to lay on a traction table and start to gently stretch their spine to relieve any issues that were causing back pain. The beneficial nutrients are reabsorbed into the spinal disc when the spine is gently pulled. The individual will begin to feel instant relief after a couple of sessions. 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 Spinal Decompression Therapy Relieves DDD

Many treatments help alleviate DDD symptoms and chronic low back pain as they provide relief to many individuals. One of the treatments that have been getting attention is spinal decompression therapy. Research studies have shown that many individuals suffering from DDD utilize non-surgical spinal decompression therapy to reduce pain and cause an increase in spinal disc height. This will allow the compressed spinal disc to be decompressed and improve disc health. Other research studies have also shown that since the degenerative process and mechanical effects of DDD can affect the spine, spinal decompression therapy allows traction to reduce the pressure off the spinal disc by gravity and soft tissue, enabling sufficient tension to extend spinal separation and the intervertebral disc. Spinal decompression also allows negative pressure within the intervertebral disc by increasing its hydration and reducing pressure off the nerve root.

Conclusion

The spine is an S-shaped curve protected by ligaments, soft tissue from the musculoskeletal system, the spinal discs, and the spinal cord allowing it to hold the body together. The body is home to the spine, where it can move around without feeling any sort of pain. When a person injures their back or pulls a muscle, it can cause unwanted back issues to hinder them from doing various daily activities. Sometimes the spinal disc wear and tear naturally causes symptoms like a herniated disc or DDD (degenerative disc disease) to affect the spine and the back by causing sharp, shooting radiate pain to affect the body. Luckily, treatments like spinal decompression therapy alleviate these symptoms by gently stretching the spine and causing instant relief to the individual.

References

Apfel, Christian C, et al. “DRX9000 BMC Study.” DRX9000® & DRX9000c® Global Trusted Suppliers Excite Medical, 18 Apr. 2022, excitemedical.com/drx9000-research/drx9000-bmc-study/#section-tab|0.

Choi, Jioun, et al. “Influences of Spinal Decompression Therapy and General Traction Therapy on the Pain, Disability, and Straight Leg Raising of Patients with Intervertebral Disc Herniation.” Journal of Physical Therapy Science, The Society of Physical Therapy Science, Feb. 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4339166/.

Choi, Yong-Soo. “Pathophysiology of Degenerative Disc Disease.” Asian Spine Journal, Korean Society of Spine Surgery, June 2009, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2852042/.

McHugh, Brian. “Causes of Degenerative Disc Disease Pain.” Spine, Spine-Health, 13 Dec. 2017, www.spine-health.com/conditions/degenerative-disc-disease/causes-degenerative-disc-disease-pain.

McHugh, Brian. “Common Symptoms of Degenerative Disc Disease.” Spine, Spine-Health, 13 Dec. 2017, www.spine-health.com/conditions/degenerative-disc-disease/common-symptoms-degenerative-disc-disease.

McHugh, Brian. “What Is Degenerative Disc Disease?” Spine, Spine-Health, 13 Dec. 2017, www.spine-health.com/conditions/degenerative-disc-disease/what-degenerative-disc-disease.

Medical Professionals, Cleveland Clinic. “Degenerative Disk Disease: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic, 27 May 2021, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16912-degenerative-disk-disease.

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Lumbar Traction Decompression Therapy For Low Back Pain

Dr. Alex Jimenez

Table of Contents

Introduction

The back is part of the musculoskeletal system, held by the spine to keep the body upright. The spine allows the body and the back to twist, turn, bend, and move side to side without feeling pain. However, when the body suffers from a pulled muscle or an injury, it can strain the back and cause back issues over time if not treated right away. Luckily, many treatments for low back pain can help a person get back to their daily activities. In this article, we will be looking at what causes low back pain and its symptoms and how lumbar traction decompression can help alleviate low back pain for individuals. 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.

Download

What Are The Causes Of Low Back Pain?

The spine is encompassed by ligaments, soft tissue, the spinal cord, and nerve roots that allow the body to twist and bend. The lower back allows the motion of twisting and turning to happen, as research studies have shown the lumbar spine provides the support, strength, and flexibility to all the muscles, joints, and nerves in the body. Sadly, the lumbar spine is susceptible to injury and pain, as it supports the upper body’s weight and anything from a pulled muscle from lifting heavy objects to being injured in an accident. Since low back pain is common for many individuals, the causes of low back pain occur at any moment, as research studies have shown. Some of the reasons that occur for low back pain include:

Fractures
Spinal disc problems: herniated disc or DDD (degenerative disc disease)
Spinal stenosis: Scoliosis
Arthritis: Ankylosing spondylitis

Other research studies have shown that low back pain causes can also be due to mechanical and soft tissue issues that can damage the intervertebral disc, compress the nerve roots, and even cause improper movement to the spinal joints, causing the individual to be in immense pain.

Low Back Pain Symptoms

When a person is suffering from low back pain, the pain can range from a mild, dull ache in the lower back to a sharp shooting pain that can travel from the lower back all the way down to the foot. Research studies have shown that low back pain symptoms can begin as an acute symptom that can turn into chronic if it is not treated right away. Some of the most common low back pain symptoms that can occur include:

Dull aching pain due to muscle spasms, limited mobility, and aches on the hips and pelvis
Traveling pain down to the buttocks, legs, and feet causing sciatica to form
Pain from prolonged sitting
Gradual pain
Sudden pain after an injury

Traction Therapy For Low Back Pain-Video

The video above shows how traction decompression therapy is used for individuals suffering from low back pain. Research studies have found that low back pain is common and one of the reasons many individuals see their primary physicians and even miss work. Some of the treatments like traction decompression utilize a traction table to gently pull the spine to cause instant relief to the individuals suffering from low back pain. What traction decompression does is that it allows the beneficial nutrients to be put back into the spine as well as decompressing the compressed discs back to their original form and alleviating the pain. With the combination of physical therapy, many individuals suffering from low back pain will begin to feel much better 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.

Lumbar Traction Decompression For Low Back Pain

As many people don’t know, lumbar traction is one of the oldest known treatments for low back pain. Lumbar traction decompression has been used to reduce muscle contraction and reduce the symptoms of low back pain in prone. Research studies have shown that the efficacy of lumbar traction therapy for treating low back pain will allow a significant reduction in the pain intensity that the individual is feeling. Utilizing physical therapy that incorporates local heat and exercise and traction decompression therapy will provide excellent results in dampening the effects of low back pain. Other research studies have shown that mechanical traction on individuals suffering from low back pain due to having herniated discs will be significantly improved and restore the spinal discs to their original state. This will allow many individuals to be pain-free and continue their daily activities.

Conclusion

All in all, low back pain is common for many individuals and is one of the reasons why many individuals visit their primary physicians and get out of work. Low back pain can range from a dull, mild ache to a sudden, sharp pain that can cause muscle weakness and other back issues that hinder a person from performing their daily activities. Luckily, treatments like lumbar traction decompression therapy allow the individual suffering from low back pain to be lying on a traction table and have their spine be gently pulled. This gentle stretching allows the beneficial nutrients back into the spine and restores the compressed disc by increasing their height and reducing the pain. Afterward, many individuals will continue with their daily activities without suffering anymore.

References

Borman, Pinar, et al. “The Efficacy of Lumbar Traction in the Management of Patients with Low Back Pain.” Rheumatology International, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Mar. 2003, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12634941/.

Cheng, Yu-Hsuan, et al. “The Effect of Mechanical Traction on Low Back Pain in Patients with Herniated Intervertebral Disks: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Clinical Rehabilitation, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Jan. 2020, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31456418/.

Medical Professionals, Cleveland Clinic. “Low Back Pain: Causes, Diagnosis & Treatments.” Cleveland Clinic, 18 Jan. 2021, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/7936-lower-back-pain.

Peloza, John. “Causes of Lower Back Pain.” Spine, Spine-Health, 20 Apr. 2017, www.spine-health.com/conditions/lower-back-pain/causes-lower-back-pain.

Peloza, John. “Lower Back Pain Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment.” Spine, Spine-Health, 20 Apr. 2017, www.spine-health.com/conditions/lower-back-pain/lower-back-pain-symptoms-diagnosis-and-treatment.

Peloza, John. “Lower Back Pain Symptoms.” Spine, Spine-Health, 20 Apr. 2017, www.spine-health.com/conditions/lower-back-pain/lower-back-pain-symptoms.

Staff, Mayo Clinic. “Back Pain.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 21 Aug. 2020, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/back-pain/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20369911.

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Spinal Stress Nerve Injury

Dr. Alex Jimenez

Caucasian senior man with female doctor talking about spine at the office

Spinal stress can affect nerve health. Neuropathy happens when disease or damage is sustained in the nerves that transmit messages from the brain through the spinal cord to the whole body. The source of the damage can be inside the spine, where a herniated disc could be squeezing the nerves, impeding or completely blocking blood circulation until deterioration begins to disease or damage nerve receptors. Removing the pressure from the spine and reversing the stress on the nerves can be done through manual or motorized spinal decompression.

Table of Contents

Spinal Stress and the Nerves

The peripheral nervous system is comprised of three types of nerves that are directly influenced by the central nervous system, each with a distinct function which is why there is a wide range of symptoms associated with neuropathy. The types of nerves include:

Autonomic nerves regulate respiration, heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, bladder function, etc.
Motor nerves control muscle movement.
Sensory nerves receive sensations from the skin like heat, cold, pleasure, and pain.

Spinal nerves contain sensory and motor fibers giving them sensory and motor functions. The spinal nerves receive sensory messages from the skin, internal organs, and bones. Any disruption from a bent, crushed, or entangled nerve group will not allow proper blood circulation and message transmission, causing delayed responses, tingling, numbness, and pain. If left untreated, it could cause permanent damage that can lead to chronic pain. Decompression therapy accelerates healing as it floods the spine with blood, oxygen, and nutrients.

Peripheral nerves originate from the spinal cord and extend a network of lines throughout the body called dermatomes. Injury to one dermatome can radiate/spread out to other dermatomes and the peripheral areas like the hands and feet. Once communication with the brain is compromised, results can lead to sensations like numbness and severe pain. Several factors can result in peripheral neuropathy, including:

Diabetes.
Genetics.
Infection.
Disease.
Unhealthy dietary habits.

Nerve Root Pain Causes

Nerve root pain is usually caused by underlying conditions that have caused compression or damage to the nerve root; these include:

Herniated discs.
Spinal injury.
Bone spurs.
Arthritis.
Infection.
Inflammatory disease.
Degenerative spinal conditions, like spinal stenosis and spondylosis.
Tumors, cysts, hernias, and hematomas.

Pain-Free Living

DRX 9000

References

Gordon, Tessa. “Peripheral Nerve Regeneration and Muscle Reinnervation.” International journal of molecular sciences vol. 21,22 8652. 17 Nov. 2020, doi:10.3390/ijms21228652

Menorca, Ron M G et al. “Nerve physiology: mechanisms of injury and recovery.” Hand clinics vol. 29,3 (2013): 317-30. doi:10.1016/j.hcl.2013.04.002

Wang, Mark L et al. “Peripheral nerve injury, scarring, and recovery.” Connective tissue research vol. 60,1 (2019): 3-9. doi:10.1080/03008207.2018.1489381

The Outcome Of Sciatica After Decompression Therapy

Dr. Alex Jimenez

Table of Contents

Introduction

The spine makes sure that the body is staying upright while making sure that it stands, twists, bends, and turns without feeling any sort of pain. However, as the body begins to naturally age, so does the spine as the spinal discs begin to start wear and tear causing unwanted back issues that will affect a person’s quality of life. Luckily there are treatments that help alleviate back pain issues and can help restore the spine back to its original function. In this article, we will be taking a look at what is sciatica, the symptoms it causes to a person, and how decompression therapy can help alleviate sciatica symptoms. 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.

Download

What Is Sciatica?

Since the spine is encompassed by ligaments, the spinal cord, soft tissues, and trillions of nerves spread out throughout the entire body, these nerves ensure that the sensations are being felt when a person is feeling something they are touching or feeling impacted on. When the body begins to feel pain and starts to affect the nerves, it can send a sharp shooting pain that can cause a person to feel weakness in the leg muscles, known as sciatica. Research studies have shown that sciatica radiates pain along the sciatic nerve that travels down from the lower back to the leg. Sciatica usually occurs when the spine is suffering from a herniated disc, and that affected disc is touching the sciatic nerve causing sharp shooting pain down the leg.

Other research studies have found that when individuals describe how sciatica pain feels, there are many different ways to express it depending on the cause and how severe the pain is. Sometimes the pain would often be described as sharp, shooting pain that goes down on one leg or as excruciating burning pain that either comes or goes or even may be constant. Sciatica can also come suddenly or gradually on the leg when the sciatic nerve has been pinched.

What Are The Symptoms?

Research studies have shown that sciatica symptoms can range from being infrequent and irritating to severe and debilitating. Since the sciatic nerve root is compressed or pinched, the symptoms can affect the specific spinal nerve root originating from the sciatic nerve. Some of the common symptoms that are caused by sciatica usually involve one leg at a time and are seen as:

Pain that is shooting down the leg
Numbness or tingling sensation that is felt in the back of the leg
Muscle weakness that is in the leg and foot
Posture change can alleviate or aggravate the pain

Treating Sciatica With Decompression-Video

Sciatica | Spinal Decompression | Back Clinics of Canada

The video above shows where the sciatic nerve is and how sciatica affects the leg. One of the many treatments that can alleviate sciatica nerve pain is spinal decompression therapy. Spinal decompression allows the spine to be gently pulled by traction, causing instant relief to the individual. Spinal decompression therapy also allows the beneficial nutrients to enter the spinal cord and increases the disc height on the spine. Since a herniated disc causes sciatica, spinal decompression allows the herniated disc, which affects the sciatic nerve, to retreat to the spine before it was herniated. This will cause instant relief to the individual that was affected by sciatica, and they can start on their wellness journey pain-free. 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.

Utilizing Decompression Therapy For Sciatica

With sciatica causing many individuals pain, many treatments are utilized to alleviate sciatica nerve pain and dampen the inflammatory effects it has caused. Research studies have found that non-surgical spinal decompression therapy is used to reduce low back pain and pain associated with sciatica and increase disc height in the spine. When individuals are lying down on the decompression table, they are strapped in. The machine allows the spine to be gently stretched out through traction, causing instant relief to the individual. Other research studies have shown that decompression therapy allows the decompression machine to effectively stretch the spine gently that has been suffering from back issues like sciatica, herniated discs, and low back pain. This gentle stretch allows the herniated disc to stop pressing on the sciatic nerve and causes relief to the individual.

Conclusion

The spine is encompassed by ligaments, the spinal cord, soft tissues, and nerves that help protect the spine from injury. However, when the spine does get injured, it can cause the spinal disc to bulge out or herniate and touch the sciatic nerve to cause immense shooting pain down the leg. This is known as sciatica, and it can cause a person to have immense shooting sharp pain that can affect a person’s quality of life. Treatments like decompression therapy allow the individuals suffering from sciatica to feel instant relief as their compressed spine is being gently pulled and causing the herniated disc to stop touching the sciatic nerve. Combined with physical therapy, spinal decompression allows the individual to be pain-free from sciatica and will enable them to continue their wellness journey.

References

Apfel, Christian C, et al. “Restoration of Disk Height through Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Is Associated with Decreased Discogenic Low Back Pain: A Retrospective Cohort Study.” BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 8 July 2010, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20615252/.

Hochschuler, Stephen. “Sciatica Symptoms.” Spine, Spine-Health, 5 June 2019, www.spine-health.com/conditions/sciatica/sciatica-symptoms.

Kang, Jeong-Il, et al. “Effect of Spinal Decompression on the Lumbar Muscle Activity and Disk Height in Patients with Herniated Intervertebral Disk.” Journal of Physical Therapy Science, The Society of Physical Therapy Science, Nov. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5140813/.

Medical Professionals, Cleveland Clinic. “Sciatica: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Prevention & Pain Relief.” Cleveland Clinic, 25 Mar. 2020, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12792-sciatica.

Staff, Mayo Clinic. “Sciatica.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 1 Aug. 2020, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sciatica/symptoms-causes/syc-20377435.

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Spinal Decompression Affecting On Bulging Discs

Dr. Alex Jimenez

Table of Contents

Introduction

The body is home to the spine, where it is allowed to move, twist, bend, and run around without being in pain. When a person suffers from a back injury or pulled a muscle, the pain can range from a dull ache to a sudden sharp pain that hinders and affects their quality of life. Luckily many treatments can help manage back pain and possibly reverse the effects. One of the treatments is spinal decompression, and it can help alleviate back pain issues like bulging discs. In this article, we will be looking at what is bulging disc is, its symptoms, and its factors, as well as how spinal decompression can help alleviate bulging disc. 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.

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What Is A Bulging Disc?

The spinal discs in the spine are flat circular cushions between the spine’s vertebrae and help protect the spine from any injuries. As the body ages naturally, the spinal discs will begin to lose their function through wear and tear. Research studies have shown that when the spinal discs begin to wear and tear with age, it can cause the disc to be dehydrated and cause the cartilage to be stiff. When this happens, the outer layer of the spinal disc will begin to protrude out and will not touch the nerve. If the protruding bulge continues to get worse and starts to crack the outer wall, the inner wall of the spinal disc will begin to come out and touch the spinal nerve root causing pain to the individual. This is known as a herniated disc.

Other research studies have found that when the spine has bulging discs, it is one of the causes of low back pain as about 80% of many individuals suffer from some back pain. Low back pain has many different diagnoses when this happens to the back, and DDD (degenerative disc disease) and disc herniation/bulging are the most common symptoms. These two common symptoms usually go hand in hand and, if not treated, will begin to cause a hindrance to the individual, leaving them with low back pain.

The Symptoms & Factors

The symptoms and factors of disc herniation/bulging vary depending on how severe the pain is. The pain from disc herniation can range from a dull, mild ache on the lower back to a sharp, sudden pain that travels from the lower back down to the leg. Research studies have shown that the primary symptoms of lumbar disc herniation are radicular pain, sensory abnormalities, and weakness in the lumbosacral nerve root. This will increase the pressure on the spinal disc causing the individual to be in pain while sitting. Other research studies have found that other common symptoms and factors that are caused by disc herniation/bulging include:

Excess weight: Can be compressed onto the spinal disc, causing disc herniation
Aging: Can naturally cause wear and tear on the spinal disc
Leg pain
Nerve pain
Neurological symptom

Spinal Decompression Therapy Affecting Bulging Discs- Video

Ask The Doc - Spinal Decompression Therapy and Help for Disc Herniations

The video above shows how spinal decompression therapy can help alleviate bulging discs by using traction to stretch the spine gently. Spinal decompression is when individuals are lying down on the traction table and are strapped in as their spine is being pulled gently, causing the spinal disc to receive the beneficial nutrients back into the spine and allowing any herniation or bulging disc to go back to normal on the spine. Research studies have shown that utilizing physical therapy and spinal decompression therapy can help many individuals suffering from low back pain, herniated disc, or leg pain. By incorporating spinal decompression therapy into their wellness journey, many individuals will begin to feel relief and be pain-free. 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.

The Effects Of Spinal Decompression On Bulging Disc

Research studies have found that a lumbar herniation/bulging disc on the spine can induce neurological signs that can hinder a person with muscle weakness. One of the many treatments that can help alleviate bulging discs is spinal decompression therapy. Spinal decompression therapy and physical therapy can help stabilize the spine and can help improve muscle strength while providing a gentle stretch on the spine to allow the bulging discs to retreat to the spine, causing instant relief. Other research studies have shown that incorporating the two treatments are effective for many individuals by improving their pain and disability. This will allow their spine to be pain-free and restore their original function in the body.

Conclusion

The spine’s primary function is to make sure that the body is moving around without feeling any pain. As the body naturally ages over time, so does the spine as the spinal disc start to wear and tear, causing them to bulge out of the spine. If they start to press against the spinal nerve root, it can lead to herniation and cause shooting pain down from the lower parts of the body. Luckily some treatments allow the individual to feel relief, which is spinal decompression. Spinal decompression helps the spine by gently stretching it with a traction table, causing the nutrients and fluids to enter the spine and cause instant relief. When spinal decompression is combined with physical therapy, many individuals will notice that they are feeling no pain in their back and can continue their wellness journey.

References

Al Qaraghli, Mustafa I, and Orlando De Jesus. “Lumbar Disc Herniation.” StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL), StatPearls Publishing, 30 Aug. 2021, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560878/.

Amin, Raj M, et al. “Lumbar Disc Herniation.” Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine, Springer US, Dec. 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5685963/.

Choi, Jioun, et al. “Influences of Spinal Decompression Therapy and General Traction Therapy on the Pain, Disability, and Straight Leg Raising of Patients with Intervertebral Disc Herniation.” Journal of Physical Therapy Science, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Feb. 2015, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25729196/.

Härtl, Roger. “Lumbar Herniated Disc Symptoms.” Spine, Spine-Health, 6 July 2016, www.spine-health.com/conditions/herniated-disc/lumbar-herniated-disc-symptoms.

Medical Professionals, Cleveland Clinic. “Herniated Disk: What It Is, Diagnosis, Treatment & Outlook.” Cleveland Clinic, 1 July 2021, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12768-herniated-disk.

Shelerud, Randy A. “Bulging Disk vs. Herniated Disk: What’s the Difference?” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 23 Apr. 2019, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/herniated-disk/expert-answers/bulging-disk/faq-20058428.

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Sciatic Nerve Decompression

Dr. Alex Jimenez

Portrait Of Young Arab Bodybuilder Suffering Lower Back Pain At Gym, Upset Middle Eastern Male Athlete Rubbing Painful Sore Zone After Getting Sport Injury, Having Lumbar Spine Ache, Copy Space

Sciatica is experienced as lower back pain and pain that radiates down the back of the legs. It is pain caused by compression, irritation, or inflammation of the sciatic nerve. It is generally experienced on one side of the body. Body movements like twisting, bending, sitting, or responses like coughing and sneezing can worsen the pain. Individuals with sciatica also experience muscle weakness, numbness, tingling, or electrical shock-like sensations. Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic offer manual and motorized sciatic nerve decompression to stretch/realign the spine, release the compressed nerves, and relieve pain.

Table of Contents

Sciatic Nerve Decompression

The spine consists of 23 spinal discs that are shock absorbers for the body during movement. Each disc consists of a soft inner core of a gel substance and a thick outer layer. Wear and tear of the spinal discs from aging, degenerative disc disease, repetitive physical activities like lifting and bending, obesity, and poor posture are some of the factors that can stress the spine, causing the thick outer layer of the spinal disc to crack/breakdown causing the soft inner core to leak out forming a bulging or herniated disc. This type of injury compresses, pinches, or irritates one or more nerve roots that form the sciatic nerve, triggering sciatica.

Spinal bone spurs.
Spinal stenosis or the narrowing of the spinal canal.
Spondylolisthesis, or the slipping or dislocation of the spinal vertebrae in the lower part of the spine.
Are also known sciatica causes.

Symptoms

Common compressed nerve symptoms include:

Pain or burning sensations radiating down the leg.
Because branches of the sciatic nerve extend from the lumbar spine through the buttocks and down the leg, pain, burning sensations or dull aching can present along the nerve’s pathway if the nerve gets compressed or irritated.
Weakness in the affected leg.
When walking or moving the legs, the nerves transmit information to the brain, stimulating the muscles to react in specific ways.
A pinched sciatic nerve can cause interference with relaying signals, resulting in weakness.
Numbness.
The compression impedes blood circulation and nerve energy transmission.
Pins and needles sensations – paresthesia.
Like numbness, paresthesia sensations happen when a nerve is compressed or irritated.

Non-Surgical Sciatic Nerve Decompression

Spinal decompression therapy relieves pressure on the spine by pulling/stretching it in small increments. Non-surgical spinal decompression creates negative pressure within the discs. The negative pressure pulls or vacuums back the disc material that has protruded or herniated and an abundance of nutrients to activate the healing response. The chiropractor, physical therapist, or nurse uses motorized medical equipment with sensors linked to a computer-aided system to perform the procedure. The equipment is designed to adjust the pull force accordingly to prevent muscle resistance. The adjustable table also allows the spine to be stretched at different angles to target the upper or lower back.

The objective of spinal decompression treatment is to relieve the symptoms of sciatica or disc disorders and heal the injured disc. We utilize spinal decompression as an effective tool in treating a vast array of spinal conditions.

DRX9000 Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression

References

Berry, James A et al. “A Review of Lumbar Radiculopathy, Diagnosis, and Treatment.” Cureus vol. 11,10 e5934. 17 Oct. 2019, doi:10.7759/cureus.5934

Davis D, Maini K, Vasudevan A. Sciatica. [Updated 2022 Feb 4]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507908/

Giuffre BA, Jeanmonod R. Anatomy, Sciatic Nerve. [Updated 2021 Jul 29]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482431/

National Institutes of Health. (2019.) “Sciatica.” medlineplus.gov/sciatica.html

Motorized Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression

Dr. Alex Jimenez

Sad mature lonely woman at home, female holding hands back, lower back pain — Sad mature lonely woman at home on terrace, female holding hands back, lower back pain. Pensive upset depressed middle aged woman. Age, health concept

Motorized non-surgical decompression helps relieve pain, removes pressure on the nerves, promotes healing, and increases blood flow to the spine. Spinal discs cannot attain nutrients from the blood without circulation. Decompression opens the spine, flooding the discs with nutrients that result in quicker and optimal healing. This, combined with manual chiropractic adjustments and therapeutic massage, can help get an individual to a pain-free lifestyle.

Table of Contents

Spinal Discs

The soft disc material that separates each spinal bone can lose hydration, causing the material to dry out and compress. The discs can also compress from pressure from added weight, trauma from an automobile accident, work, school, and sports injury. Often the soft gel center of the discs spills out, causing a disc herniation. This is usually accompanied by:

Numbness
Tingling
Soreness
Stiffness
Sharp pain
Dull pain
Achiness
Muscle Weakness
Stinging/Burning sensation
Leg pain
Poor balance

These are often indicators of a nerve or nerve bundle, including the sciatic nerve becoming compressed by a herniated disc, bulging disc or slipped disc, stenosis, facet syndrome, or degenerative disc disease. When this happens, the symptoms may be felt in the back or neck area, and/or they may spread out into the arms, hands, legs, or feet.

Motorized Decompression

Spinal decompression is relaxing and helps maintain range of motion throughout the body. The benefits of motorized decompression include:

Relaxation
Increased energy
Pain relief
Stress relief
Headache relief
Improved posture
Improved range of motion
Improved circulation
Improved sleep

We focus on providing expert chiropractic treatment that incorporates the most current research and technology into personalized treatment plans. Our goal is to help the individual heal as quickly as possible while educating and training them to use tools to maintain health and wellness.

What Is Spinal Decompression?

Relieve Pain From Degenerative Disc Disease

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References

Andersson, G B, and R A Deyo. “History and physical examination in patients with herniated lumbar discs.” Spine vol. 21,24 Suppl (1996): 10S-18S. doi:10.1097/00007632-199612151-00003

Apfel, Christian C et al. “Restoration of disk height through non-surgical spinal decompression is associated with decreased discogenic low back pain: a retrospective cohort study.” BMC musculoskeletal disorders vol. 11 155. 8 Jul. 2010, doi:10.1186/1471-2474-11-155

Cherkin, DC, and F A MacCornack. “Patient evaluations of low back pain care from family physicians and chiropractors.” The Western journal of medicine vol. 150,3 (1989): 351-5.

Koçak, Fatmanur Aybala et al. “Comparison of the short-term effects of the conventional motorized traction with non-surgical spinal decompression performed with a DRX9000 device on pain, functionality, depression, and quality of life in patients with low back pain associated with lumbar disc herniation: A single-blind randomized controlled trial.” Turkish Journal of physical medicine and rehabilitation vol. 64,1 17-27. 16 Feb. 2017, doi:10.5606/tftrd.2017.154

Urban, Jill PG, and Sally Roberts. “Degeneration of the intervertebral disc.” Arthritis research & therapy vol. 5,3 (2003): 120-30. doi:10.1186/ar629

The Effects Of Vertebral Decompression On Intradiscal Pressure

Dr. Alex Jimenez

Table of Contents

Introduction

The body can move, twist, turn and bend due to the spine making sure that the body is upright and functioning without pain. When a person is injured or pulls a muscle that causes pain to the back, it can hinder them from doing their daily activities. The pain can range from a dull, mild ache to a sudden sharp pain affecting a person. Luckily there are ways to treat back pain that can help improve the quality of life of a person while also reducing the pain symptoms. In this article, we will be looking at intradiscal pressure and how disc degeneration can affect it and seeing the effects of vertebral decompression relieving disc degeneration on the spine. 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.

Download

What Is Intradiscal Pressure?

In the body, the spine is protected by ligaments, the spinal cord, soft tissues, and spinal discs from injuries. When a person stretches and hears the spinal joints pop, the spinal fluid starts to allow the beneficial nutrients to nourish the spine and keep it healthy. This is known as intradiscal pressure, and research studies show that intradiscal pressure is influenced by the fluid flow of the spine, causing intradiscal pressure to be necessary for disc height and axial compliance for the spine for it to be healthy. Other research studies have shown the effects of respiration on intradiscal pressure in a healthy prone individual. However, if the spine has been influenced by disc degeneration, the intradiscal pressure is reduced and can cause spinal issues to develop over time. The spinal load must be healthy for intradiscal pressure because it requires respiratory movement when the body is in motion and in a sitting or standing position.

How Does Disc Degeneration Affect Intradiscal Pressure?

Back pain remains the second most common symptom for many individuals to visit their primary physicians. The spine is protected by soft tissues and spinal discs that allow the body to stay upright and do stuff in its range of motion. When the back gets injured, it can cause a person to be in pain and hinder them, depending on how severe the injury is. Some of the pain sources can include DDD or degenerative disc disease.

Research studies have shown that DDD (degenerative disc disease) can occur when the spine has been injured due to heavy lifting, vibrations, immobilization, and trauma. When these factors start to cause stress to the spinal discs, it can cause the intradiscal pressure to increase and cause low back pain to affect the body, as research shows.

Axial Decompression Therapy-Video

Axial Decompression for treatment of herniated/bulging discs (lumbar)

The video above shows how axial decompression therapy is used for individuals suffering from low back pain, herniated disc, or DDD (degenerative disc disease). Research studies have shown that when the body begins to age normally, the spinal disc will wear down and cause the bones to rub together. Utilizing decompression therapy as part of their wellness treatment can help alleviate the painful symptoms that the person was feeling. Decompression therapy uses traction to gently stretch the spine, allowing the beneficial nutrients and oxygen to go back into the spinal disc. This will enable individuals to feel instant relief and get them back on their wellness journey pain-free. 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.

The Effects Of Vertebral Decompression For Disc Degeneration

Many treatments can help the effects of disc degeneration, from elevating to chronic issues on the spine. One of those treatments is vertebral decompression. Research studies have found that when individuals utilize a 6-week treatment on the decompression machine will begin to notice a reduction in pain while an increase in the disc height on the spine. The gentle traction will stretch the spine slowly, alleviate the chronic back symptoms, and repair the spinal discs by allowing nutrients to go in. Other research studies have shown that decompression therapy creates negative pressure on the spine, allowing the intervertebral disc to increase hydration. This negative pressure alleviates the stress of the nerve root that the disc is applying to and causes the person to be in pain. When combined with physical therapy, the individual will begin to feel much better.

Conclusion

The spine is protected by ligaments, soft tissue, the spinal cord, and spinal discs while keeping the body to stay upright while it is in motion. When there is an injury or a pulled muscle that causes the person to be in pain, it can affect the spine and the back. This will cause chronic issues to develop, causing the individual to be in constant pain and making them miserable. Luckily, there are treatments to treat back pain and alleviate the spine, and decompression therapy can help lower the symptoms. Decompression therapy allows the individual to be strapped to a traction table and gets their spine gently pulled to cause instant relief. This will allow the spine to decompress and the nutrients to rehydrate the spinal discs, providing the individual to become pain-free.

References

Li, Jai-Qi, et al. “Comparison of in Vivo Intradiscal Pressure between Sitting and Standing in Human Lumbar Spine: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Life (Basel, Switzerland), U.S. National Library of Medicine, 20 Mar. 2022, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35330208/.

Palepu, V, et al. “Biomechanics of Disc Degeneration.” Advances in Orthopedics, Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 17 June 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3382964/.

Sato, K, et al. “In Vivo Intradiscal Pressure Measurement in Healthy Individuals and in Patients with Ongoing Back Problems.” Spine, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Dec. 1999, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10626309/.

Vergroesen, Pieter-Paul A, et al. “Intradiscal Pressure Depends on Recent Loading and Correlates with Disc Height and Compressive Stiffness.” European Spine Journal : Official Publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Nov. 2014, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25031105/.