How Can Spinal Decompression Heal My Herniated and Bulging Discs?

spinal stenosis

What spinal decompression does is create a vacuum effect in the spine so that the disc material is suctioned back into place between the spinal bones.

You see, between each spinal bone or vertebrae there is a disc. This disc is a gel like material that acts as a shock absorber and as a spacer.

Without this spacer the neural foramen (openings where nerves exit off the spinal cord) don't remain open and free from pressure.

Disrupt the disc and you lose the hole where nerve roots exit out of and you disrupt the anatomy of the spine.

When a disc is injured it may bulge or leak out of the area it normally should be. When this happens it may put pressure on nerves and also since it is no longer contributing to the mass or height of that "spacer" you lose the normal opening of the foramen that the nerves stemming off the spinal cord exit out of.

Additionally, as a side note - closing of the neural foramen or spinal canal from leaked disc material and inflammation is a major cause of stenosis. In fact, that's what stenosis is, a closure of those holes.

So what Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression does exactly is create a negative interdiscal pressure which makes the disc space like a vacuum. When this happens it pulls the bulged or herniated disc fragment back into place. This then re-heightens the disc taking pressure of the nerves, allows inflammation to dissipate and restores the stability of the disc and the spine.

As this treatment is done over a period of usually 4-8 weeks the disc can then heal back in the position it belongs.

As the disc is suctioned back into place nutrients and hydration will come into the disc as well. If pressure is alleviated from the nerves long enough the body starts to restore the outer collagen fibers of that disc, holding the disc material in place. This is how Spinal Decompression has proven to have lasting effects. Most importantly, removing the nerve pressure alleviates your back pain.