Spinal Decompression in Ocala, FL: Relieve Back Pain and Improve Mobility
If you’re one of the millions of Americans who suffer from chronic and severe back pain that limits your mobility and interferes with your daily life, there’s a good chance that you may be able to find long-lasting relief through spinal decompression therapy. It’s one of the most popular and effective treatments we offer at Ocala Chiropractic and Wellness. It’s just one of the many ways we can help our patients overcome pain and stiffness due to a specific spinal condition or an injury. All of our healing and therapeutic treatments are natural and non-invasive and offer an effective alternative to risky and expensive surgery or dangerously addictive pain medications. Used in conjunction with our spinal decompression therapy, most of our patients in Ocala, FL, report lasting alleviation of their pain and increased mobility, allowing them to resume their normal lifestyle and activities.
What Conditions Can Spinal Decompression Treat?
Chronic and persistent back pain that lasts for more than just a few days can be caused by many things. One of the most common causes is a misalignment of the vertebra, which forces your spine to carry your body’s weight in an unnatural way, putting stress on the bones and nerves, which can affect the health and wellness of your entire body. This can result from injury, poor posture and work habits, and repetitive movements, among other things. Your chiropractor in Ocala can realign your spine using spinal manipulation and other techniques. Spinal misalignment along with injury, disease, congenital defects, and aging can lead to a number of other disorders involving the damage or deterioration of the soft discs between the vertebrae that serve as cushions or shock absorbers between the bones. Spinal decompression is a method of healing and repairing these discs to alleviate the pressure causing the pain. It has been shown to be effective in treating the following conditions:
- Pinched nerves, or nerves that have been compressed between the vertebrae, leading to pain, tingling, and numbness in the back and extremities.
- Degenerative discs, when the cushioning material begins to wear out or deteriorate due to aging or disease.
- Bulging discs, a condition where the disc material bulges out from between the bones.
- Herniated discs, similar to a pinched nerve, where the disc tissue is pushing against a nerve.
- Sciatica, or shooting pain, tingling, and numbness in the back and extremities caused by damage to the sciatic nerve.
- Spinal stenosis, the narrowing of the space between the vertebrae, often caused by bone spurs or herniated or bulging discs.
How Does Spinal Decompression Work?
Spinal decompression is a type of traction therapy, which has long been used by chiropractors and doctors alike to treat various types of injuries and disorders. It allows for the spine to be gradually and gently stretched and relaxed in an intermittent and controlled manner, something like an accordion being extended and released. This causes the disc tissues between the vertebrae to expand, pulling bulging or herniated tissue back into position and increasing the supply of oxygenated blood and nutrients into the disc, as well as the surrounding muscles and nerves. The decompressed state along with the extra oxygen and nutrients promotes healing and proper alignment and helps to reduce pain and muscle tension. Our patients report significant improvement of their symptoms after receiving spinal decompression therapy at our clinic.
What Happens During A Spinal Decompression Session?
A special type of treatment table is used during a spinal decompression therapy session. The table is made to move apart in the middle, with a small motor that moves the bottom half away from the top half. Your chiropractor will have you lie down on the table, fully clothed, and a harness will be secured around your waist with one end attached to the bottom half of the table. The doctor will slowly move the bottom table half to gently stretch and decompress the vertebrae and discs of your spine. You’ll remain static in this position for a specified period of time, and then the decompression will be relaxed. You won’t feel any pain from the therapy but you will feel the sensation as your spine is stretched. Most people describe it as a pleasant, relaxing experience. If you do feel discomfort or need anything else, there will be a call button near at hand for you to summon immediate assistance. The period of decompression will be short at first, and then gradually lengthened in subsequent therapy sessions. It’s usually recommended that you have several sessions per week at the beginning of therapy, decreasing in number as you progress and your condition improves. Each spinal decompression session lasts approximately 30-40 minutes. A typical treatment series consists of between 12-30 sessions spaced out over four to six weeks, depending on the nature of your injury or disorder and the pace of your improvement.
Ocala Chiropractic and Wellness in Ocala, FL, is always happy to see new patients. Contact our office for more information or to schedule an appointment.