Non-surgical Spinal Decompression

Non-surgical spinal decompression may be the treatment you need to relieve neck or back pain caused by pinched nerves or degenerative disc/joint disease. The experienced Minimally Invasive Medical Group team has extensive training and years of experience relieving pain with this procedure. Call the office in Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, or Irvine, California, to schedule a consultation and learn more about non-surgical spinal decompression. You can also connect online to request an appointment at any time.

What is non-surgical spinal decompression?

The Minimally Invasive Medical Group team performs non-surgical spinal decompression to treat pinched nerves using a specialized device, the DRX 9000, that gently stretches your spine.

Stretching the spine increases the space between vertebrae, reducing the pressure on spinal nerves and boosting blood flow to the area — a combination that eases pain and promotes healing.

Non-surgical spinal decompression may also help a bulging disc return to its natural shape by creating a vacuum-like effect between the vertebrae.

When would I need non-surgical spinal decompression?

You may benefit from spinal decompression when pinched nerves cause chronic neck or back pain and pain shooting down your arms or legs.

Pinched nerves may occur after an injury, whether a fall, sports injury, or car accident. However, most people develop the problem due to degenerative spine problems that arise as they age.

A few of the most common reasons for needing non-surgical spinal decompression include:

Degenerative disc disease

The discs between vertebrae lose moisture and break down as you get older. As a result, they stop cushioning the bones, causing spinal instability that compresses the nearby nerves.

Herniated discs

Each spinal disc has a tough outer cover enclosing a gel-like substance. Daily wear and tear deteriorates the cover, allowing the inner part to bulge out and pinch nerves. Without treatment, the cover tears, and the inner gel leaks onto the nerves.

Bone spurs

Bone spurs often develop when arthritis damages the joints between vertebrae. The spurs push against spinal nerves.

Thickened ligaments

The ligaments connecting vertebrae may thicken with age or due to the excess stress caused by other spinal conditions. Enlarged ligaments can easily compress nerves.

Sciatica

Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed, often due to a herniated disc or spinal stenosis, causing sharp pain that radiates from the lower back down the leg.

What happens during non-surgical spinal decompression?

Your Minimally Invasive Medical Group provider positions you on an advanced spinal decompression table DRX 9000 manufactured by Axiom Worldwide. As you lay on the table, the device holds your upper body steady, maintaining a fixed position.

A harness around your hips holds you to the device’s lower half, which moves to stretch and relax your spine. Your provider controls your decompression treatment, adjusting the force applied to your spine and ensuring it targets the source of your spine pain. 

You can feel the stretching, but non-surgical decompression should never cause pain. The sessions take anywhere from 25 to 30 minutes, followed by another 10 minutes of muscle stimulation through the machine. The number and frequency of sessions that you need will depend on your source of back pain. Typically, patients start with daily sessions and then work their way to three times per week and then twice per week.

It can take a few sessions before you start noticing the results. In most cases, this is approximately two weeks after starting spinal decompression therapy.

Ready to learn if non-surgical spinal decompression can ease your pain? Call Minimally Invasive Medical Group or book an appointment online today.