Back pain is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide and a burden on daily living for countless millions of people. The causes and treatments for back pain can be dauntingly complex, but many back and neck problems can now be overcome through advanced, non-invasive means. Expert spinal decompression is being administered by Craig C. Callewart, M.D. in Dallas, TX.
Causes of Back & Spine Pain
Identifying the source of back pain can often produce as much anxiety in the patient as the physical pain does itself. Invasive surgical procedures on the back and neck are serious and highly sensitive operations. No one wants to discover that they'll need surgery for sciatica, a painful disorder of the largest, longest nerve in the body, or for a bulging disc, which may need to be surgically altered for lasting pain relief.
While the causes of back and neck pain can vary widely, the spine is often a primary culprit and one of the first areas the experienced physician will investigate. The spinal column is an extraordinarily complex system made up of no fewer than 33 separate bones, along with many dozens of associated muscles, ligaments, cushions (called discs) and joints. Degenerations along the spine caused by age, injury or environments are often ground zero for back pain. In many cases regenerative therapy can also help.
Spinal Decompression
Invasive back surgery is a serious step that neither a doctor nor a patient undertakes lightly. As a result, contemporary medical advances have focused on holistic, non-surgical means to achieve back pain relief without surgery. One of the most promising and effective therapies is spinal decompression. This non-invasive treatment can yield remarkable results without the risks, costs and recovery time of invasive back surgery.
Spinal decompression uses state-of-the-art technology to literally stretch the spine. In a great many cases, unhealthy compressions in the spinal column are the root cause of back and neck pain. Misalignments and pressures throughout the spinal column can cause mild to debilitating discomfort from the lower back all the way up through the neck. The decompression "un-crunches" the pressure spots that cause pain, allowing the spine's component parts to revert to their normal, non-painful aspects.
What Makes It So Effective?
This therapy is a modern update on the well-established technique of putting the back "in traction." Today's advanced technologies utilize computer control to achieve precise variable settings for force, angle and duration. This flexibility greatly expands the range of possibilities for effective treatments. Specific troubled areas of the spine and back can be attacked with a precision that simply wasn't achievable prior to the advances in technology.
Through decompression, painful pressures on fragile anatomy such as the spinal discs can be relieved without surgical risk. Swelling and inflammation in the disc can often be brought under control when they are no longer subject to unnatural pressure or rubbing. Once decompressed, the body's natural restorative nutrients can flow to the affected areas without being blocked. This not only provides pain relief but also promotes long-term healing.
Types of Back Pain It Can Address
Because disorders in the spinal column are the source of many back (and neck) problems, decompression therapy can solve a wide variety of painful issues. One common example is spinal stenosis, which is a narrowing of the spaces within the spine, usually brought on by age. This treatment can also help with sciatica (pain in the sciatic nerve) and Facet Syndrome, where small joints in the spine can cause outsized pain, even in areas located away from the spine.
For many patients, decompression treatment will relieve damaged, slipped or misaligned discs. Disc problems are notoriously painful and actually quite commonplace. A bulging disc can touch sensitive nerves by narrowing the spinal canal. A herniated disc is one that has been torn or slipped from proper placement, causing pain that is impossible to ignore. Even discs that are simply worn from age can cause painful havoc to everyday life. The decompression can help heal disc conditions.
What Treatment Is Like
An individual spinal decompression session takes anywhere between 20 and 45 minutes. The length of the treatment session varies by the size of the patient, the malady being treated and the complexity of the patient's condition. Depending on the patient's particulars, multiple treatments are sometimes required for the best results. The treatments are scheduled over a 4-6-week period in order to allow time for tissue healing.
The treatment is performed at the doctor's office on an easy outpatient basis, and the patient simply resumes their regular routine upon leaving their therapy. Because the treatments are non-invasive, there is no downtime or necessary recovery period following sessions. Because some syndromes such as disc problems benefit from rest after decompression, we may advise a period of rest or lightened activity after your treatment.
How Can I Get Started?
Spinal decompression can bring blessed relief to anyone who lives with back or neck pain but doesn't want to. Back and neck problems usually mean more than just the direct pain itself, which can be considerable. They also have an obvious negative effect on mood, sleep, sociability and many other aspects of our wellness.
If you are suffering with back or neck pain, there is now an accessible, non-surgical option that can have you pain-free in a matter of weeks or less. To see how this dramatic therapy can help you, schedule a consultation with Craig C. Callewart, M.D., in Dallas, TX today.
