Spinal Decompression Best Treated Conditions - Herniated Disc, Stenosis, Facets, Sciatica and More

spinal stenosis

Spinal Decompression has five conditions (herniated discs, spinal stenosis, facet syndromes, sciatica, and degenerative discs) that respond best to spinal decompression treatment. This article explains each of the five conditions and how spinal decompression therapy helps relieve pain and restore function.

Just imagine you are in a car accident and suffer a severe head injury with multiple lacerations causing massive loss of blood. You need to go directly to the emergency room and stop the bleeding. This is not the time to see the chiropractor, physical therapist, or massage therapist. We know finding a doctor who is experienced and knowledgeable about your injury or condition is huge in getting a good result with any chosen treatment. There is no single treatment that fits all diseases, injuries, or conditions. Proper pairing of doctor, patient, and condition is essential for a successful treatment plan, especially for spinal decompression.

Spinal decompression has been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the relief of lower back and leg pain and neck and arm pain.

The top five conditions that respond best to spinal decompression include:

Herniated, Protruding, or Bulging Discs

The number one condition that responds best to spinal decompression is herniated, bulging, or protruding disc. Herniated, bulging, and protruding disc are different words used for the same condition. In the past, doctors have tried to differentiate between the types of disc by using different words.

Herniated disc occur when the ring fibers of cartilage in the disc dehydrate, crack, or tear allowing the thick liquid nucleus of the disc to migrate into the crack or tear. Once pressure is placed on the disc, the material of the nucleus causes the weakened cartilage to bulge, protrude, or herniate.

Herniated disc cause pain by making direct contact on a spinal nerve, leak chemicals in and around the spinal nerves causing irritation, or irritating the nerves that connect to the outer layers of the disc.

Herniated, bulging, or protruding disc often cause leg and lower back pain or neck and arm pain. Ninety percent of the time when pain goes below the knee it is due to a herniated disc in the lower back.

Spinal Stenosis

Each vertebra has an anterior joint consisting of the body, a disc, and another body of the vertebra above or below. Posterior joints include four processes of bone(two superior and two inferior on both sides) that allow movement of one vertebra on another.

In between the anterior joint and the posterior joints there is a hole, called the spinal canal. There are also holes (foramen) on the sides, where nerves exit the spinal cord and go out to each area of the body. You suffer spinal stenosis when either the spinal canal or the foramen are too narrow.Spinal stenosis occurs because:

1. Joint hypertrophy (an overgrowth of bone due to arthritis of the posterior joints).


2. Genetic design. Your genetic code dictates the size and diameter of the spinal canal. People often have more narrowed spinal canals at different levels of the spine.


3. Herniated, bulging, or protruding disc also can cause the spinal canals to narrow.


4. Overgrowth of bone in and around the spinal canal due to stress, old fractures, results of an inflammatory process, or due to cancer.


5. Space occupying lesions, such as benign or cancerous tumors in the spinal canal are less common.

Facet Syndromes

The disc and the vertebra make up the anterior joint of the spine. The facets are the posterior joints of the spine. The joints surface of the facet is like the white shiny surface of a fresh drumstick of a chicken leg. The joint surfaces are rich in nerve endings and are extremely sensitive to pressure. Facet syndromes are caused when a joint surface of one facet binds against another. Facet syndromes cause lower back and leg pain.

Sciatica

The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body and often is referred to as the 6 foot neuron. This nerve begins in the lower back and continues down the leg all the way to the toes of the foot. The sciatic nerve is composed of nerves from the L4, L5, S1, and S2 nerve roots and form one large bundle to create the sciatic nerve. Pain radiating down the leg below the knee is referred to as "true sciatica" and 90% of the time is caused from a herniated disc.

Degenerative Discs

Discs dehydrate and lose their water making the ring fibers of cartilage dry and hard much like shoe leather. Not only does the disc dry out but the bone attached to the disc usually has a proliferation of bone spurs. This is a chronic process called degenerative disc disease. Degenerative disc cause pain because the loss of height of the nerve holes (foramen) and a narrowing of the spinal canal. Often degenerative disc herniate, bulges, or protrudes. Whenever this degenerative process puts pressure on the nerve it cause lower back and leg pain or neck and arm pain.