Spinal Decompression

Few injuries or illnesses can cause more agonizing pain than a degenerative spinal condition or intervertebral disc injury. Whether your condition has been brewing for years or has come about all of a sudden, you want nothing more than a way to relieve the pain. But before you agree to major spinal surgery and/or a life dependent on painkillers, consider a gentle, non-invasive alternative. That alternative is called spinal decompression — and our chiropractor, Dr. David Sciortino, offers it here at St. Louis Medical Center alongside traditional adjustment, massage therapy and other treatment methods.

A variety of ailments can cause your spinal column to lose height or displace the discs that normally sit directly between the vertebrae. An auto accident or personal injury, for example, can throw two adjacent vertebrae out of alignment, dislodging the disc between them so that it bulges out from the spinal column. From this position it can pinch nearby nerves, causing sciatica, back pain and other symptoms that give you pain and limit your ability to live a normal life.

Sometimes spinal compression occurs as a result of natural aging or degenerative diseases. As your discs grow older, they begin to lose moisture and flatten out. This means that the vertebrae have less cushion between them, and your spine may lose some height. This problem in turn can cause another problem called facet joint syndrome.

The posterior edges of the vertebrae are linked together by a set of small joints called facet joints. A loss of disc height places strain on these joints, potentially damaging the cartilage and contributing to osteoarthritis of the spine, which creates an even more urgent need for pain management. Another condition called spinal stenosis may also develop with age. This is a narrowing of the bony channel that envelopes the spinal cord. As the bone narrows it presses on the spinal cord, causing not only pain but also loss of physical function.

How Does Spinal Decompression Relieve Your Pain?

Spinal decompression takes that grinding pressure off your discs, vertebrae and nerves so they have a chance to recover and heal. Our chiropractor uses a method of gentle, gradual mechanical traction to accomplish this. Patients lie on a decompression table and the table does the work. We have total control over the amount of traction used in any given session.

The traction creates a suction effect that draws bulging or herniated discs back into their correct vertical alignment for drug-free pain management. Restored to their proper position, the discs can now recuperate and do a better job of cushioning your spine. Strengthening exercises and massage therapy can then relieve strained back muscles and build them up for additional spinal support.

Questions and Answers About Spinal Decompression

Spinal Decompression Serves as Pain Management Alternative for St. Louis Patients

Low back pain may be caused by soft tissue strain and/or pressure on a nerve root. The former often accompanies postural problems and misalignments that throw the body out of balance, while the latter may be caused by a disc that has shifted or bulged outward from the spinal column onto the nerve. Discs also lose some of their cushioning ability over time, and this can contribute to spinal compression.

Taking the Next Step towards Pain Relief

If you believe you might benefit from spinal decompression or any of our other chiropractic services, we advise you to contact St Louis Medical Center for a consultation. Only a detailed evaluation can help us determine whether this procedure makes sense for you.

Call St. Louis Medical Center Today

St. Louis Medical Center offers options including non-invasive physical medicine treatments.If you’re in St. Louis, MO, spinal decompressions is close at hand. For your FREE consultation, call us today at 314-522-0092

Or visit our Locations page to find our clinic nearest you!