How Spinal Decompression Therapy Works to Ease Your Herniated Disc Pain

Herniated discs are a common cause of neck and back pain, affecting up to 2% of people every year. Unlike other back injuries that become more likely with age, herniated discs primarily affect adults between ages 30 and 50. Although bulging discs tend to heal on their own, the pain can be intense, and you may want to explore treatments to feel better. 

A herniated disc can cause neck pain, back pain, or referred pain elsewhere. Referred pain happens when a slipped disc presses against nerve roots in the spine, which extend into other areas of your body like your arms or legs. Depending on the location of the herniated disc along the spinal column, you might experience pain, numbness, or tingling in your hands, feet, shoulders, arms, or legs. A herniated disc can also cause sciatica. 

At Pain Management Associates LLC in Greenbelt, Maryland, pain medicine experts Haddis T. Hagos, MD, and Brent Earls, MD, can diagnose a herniated disc and provide effective care based on your symptoms. They often recommend spinal decompression therapy, a treatment that takes pressure off spinal nerves by stretching the spine. 

Here’s how herniated discs happen and how spinal decompression therapy offers relief:

How discs herniate

You can thank your spinal discs for supporting the vertebrae (the bones in your spine) and absorbing shock. The discs are round, cushion-like structures with a soft inner layer and a firmer outer layer. Herniated discs happen when the inner layer protrudes through a tear in the outer layer, which can place pressure on nearby nerves and nerve roots. 

Several factors can cause or contribute to herniated discs, including:

• Age-related wear-and-tear
• Smoking
• Sitting for long periods of time
• Excessive weight
• Improper lifting or twisting motions
• Repetitive motions while exercising or working

Herniated discs affect men twice as often as women, but anyone can get them. They can occur anywhere in the spine but are most common in the lower back and neck. 

What to expect from spinal decompression therapy

Spinal decompression therapy might be your best option for herniated disc treatment to ease symptoms. This nonsurgical therapy involves carefully stretching your spine to widen the channels that nerves pass through. The process allows the herniated portion of the disc to pop back into place between the vertebrae. 

To perform spinal decompression therapy, our team uses either manual traction or mechanical traction. During the 20-30 minute procedure, you lie flat on a table as our team buckles a harness around your waste. The harness is attached to a pulley system which, when operated, stretches you lengthwise. Our team may repeat the process several times and adjust the angles to effectively alleviate pressure in your spine. You may require several treatment sessions. 

Is spinal decompression therapy right for you?

Our team evaluates your back or neck injury to determine if spinal decompression therapy aligns with your needs. Using tests such as bone scans, discography, and magnetic resonance imaging, they can locate and diagnose a herniated disc. 

To schedule a treatment consultation with our team, call Pain Management Associates LLC, or request an appointment online today.