How Spinal Decompression Can Alleviate Chronic Back and Neck Pain

Chronic neck pain or back pain can create a perpetual state of discomfort that restricts your mobility and erodes your quality of life. You may also have to endure repeated trips to the doctor for short-term relief, which can lead to more missed workdays than you’d like or can afford.

Low back pain, Neck pain, and Sciatica are extremely common and are listed as a chief complaint in up to 25% of primary care providers visits! In fact, more than 100 million people in the US — almost a third of the population — suffer with spinal pain each year. 

As a chiropractor, Dr. Ryan Key of Key Chiropractic in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, has seen for himself how debilitating this type of pain can be. Our team has experience alleviating chronic neck and back pain with supportive therapies such as spinal decompression.

How can spinal decompression relieve your back or neck pain? We’ve prepared this brief to help you understand how decompression works and why it may be the solution you need to return to a pain-free life.

Disc compression causes pain

Many cases of chronic back and neck pain begin with a problem with an intervertebral disc. These flat, rubbery pads separate your vertebrae and act as shock absorbers in your spine. When a disc in your neck or lower back shifts out of place (bulges), ruptures (herniates), or breaks down due degenerative disc disease, it can affect spinal alignment.

A misaligned spine irritates nearby nerves, causing pain. The misalignment can also affect the structures that support your spine: muscles, bones, ligaments, and tendons. These, too, can become irritated or stretched, adding to your pain.

How spinal decompression works

Spinal decompression is a form of traction therapy. Slowly, gently, and steadily, your practitioner stretches your spinal column to relieve disc-related pressure and promote healing.

At Key Chiropractic, our team performs spinal decompression on a motorized table. The traction alternately stretches and releases your spine in a controlled back-and-forth process. This process eases pressure on any problematic discs and creates negative pressure within the discs themselves.

This “vacuum” pressure helps draw bulging discs back into place. The vacuum also triggers an influx of nutrient- and oxygen-rich blood to the area that supports tissue regeneration and healing. 

Decompression for back pain

If you have lower back pain, our team fits one harness around your trunk and another your hips as you lie on the treatment table, and we attach the harnesses to the lower end of the table. When we activate the decompression activity, the lower portion of the table slides gently back and forth. This alternately stretches and releases your spine. 

Decompression for neck pain

To treat a disc problem in your neck, we have you lie on the table wearing a soft, padded harness on your neck and another around your trunk. The motorized table gently stretches your spine with an appropriate level of tension.

Customized, gentle treatment process

Customization includes the precise application of pull force offset by cycles of rest. We determine these based on the nature of your spinal condition as well as your level of sensitivity.

The traction table gently stretches the affected area for about a minute. A gradual reduction in tension follows, for about another minute, so your spine can fully relax. 

The sequence is repeated for 30-45 minutes. You should feel comfortable and relaxed throughout the process. You can expect some pain relief after just one session. However,  most women and men need a series of 12-20 spinal decompression treatments over 4-6 weeks to achieve optimal healing and lasting relief. 

Proper alignment allows your spine to heal

Spinal decompression creates the conditions that your discs need to heal and function. The decompression process also supports proper spinal alignment. When your spine is in alignment and its discs are healthy, your entire body benefits. Dr. Key may recommend decompression for: 

• Chronic back pain
• Persistent sciatica
• Chronic neck pain 
• Whiplash injuries
• Lumbar facet syndrome
• Compressed nerves

Spinal decompression therapy is an excellent noninvasive solution for most people. However, Dr. Key may not recommend it if you have spinal fractures or if you’re pregnant. 

Here for you when your spine needs support

To optimize your spinal health and put a permanent end to chronic neck and back pain, you may need other supportive therapies, too, including spinal adjustments and massage therapy.

Contact our nonsurgical spine care team at Key Chiropractic to alleviate your chronic back or neck pain with spinal decompression by calling our office or using online booking today.