By Douglas Gray


Spinal decompression is the process of relieving pressure on impinged nerves found within the spinal cord. Impingement of nerves may result in pain that may last for a long time. For instance, patients suffering from diseases such as sciatica, spinal stenosis and disc herniation experience chronic back pain that may interfere with normal daily living. These are among the few but important facts about spinal decompression Conroe residents may find beneficial.

The approach to this form of medical intervention can be either surgical or non surgical. For surgical procedures, different techniques can be used depending on the condition in question. Microdecompression (microdiscectomy) is a minimally invasive approach where surgical instruments are used under the guidance of a microscope.

Open decompression (laminectomy) is a more invasive procedure. Here, a part of one or several vertebra are removed to relieve the increased pressure. This technique is, for this reason, less preferred. It should only be considered when all other methods have failed.

The non-surgical technique involves applying mechanical traction to the discs to cause desired pressure release. In this technique, the patient is fastened onto a table using straps. The arrangement is then attached to a computer which controls how much pressure is to be released. The traction can be done in form of either a horizontal supine pull or vertical upright pull. The vertical pull may also be done with the patient lying upside down, a procedure known as inversion therapy.

In performing the non operative procedure, the patient is expected to be fully dressed. The straps can be placed on the neck, lower chest, back, or waist depending on which region of the spine is affected. A single session of treatment may take between half to three quarters of an hour. A total of at least twenty sessions spread over seven weeks may be needed to render the therapy complete. Complimentary treatments such as ultrasound and electric stimulation can be used before or thereafter.

In general, non-surgical methods are preferred to the surgical techniques because they are less invasive and usually do not require any special medication. It is important to note that there are certain cases in which this form of treatment is not recommended. For instance, patients who have had unsuccessful back surgery, people with spinal fusion, patients with a broken vertebra, pregnant women among other special cases.

Recovering from the operation should be viewed as a process rather than an event. The exact time that is required is determined by factors such as severity of initial defect, type of operation performed and the healing ability of the body. Generally, 2 to 6 weeks are required for one to resume their routine chores.

Physical activity plays a vital role in the healing process and should be highly encouraged. The plan should be to start with lighter routines and to increase the intensity progressively with time depending on how much one can tolerate. Exercise helps by increasing blood flow to the healing tissues and expedites the process. At the same time, it ensures that the connective tissue elements remain active and functional.




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