Patients who are experiencing nerve compression caused by a degenerative spine condition may find pain relief with a decompression machine. A decompression machine is designed to stretch and lengthen the spine, reversing the effects of the spine compression that occurs with the natural aging process. The basic concept of this machine is simple: the decompression table helps to alleviate stress on the nerve roots in the neck and back by elongating the spine to open up space in the spinal column.

What to expect during a decompression machine session

During your session using a decompression machine, you will be asked to lie on your back on a computer-controlled table. Your physician or chiropractor may use hot and cold compresses while you are on the table to help loosen your muscles while your spine is gently stretched.

Once everything is in place, the physician will turn on the machine and you will feel a slight, gentle pull on both ends of your body, allowing your spine to stretch and elongate. This will allow the misaligned components in your spine to move back into natural alignment, thus reducing pressure on surrounding nerve roots. The entire treatment generally lasts around 30 to 40 minutes, and the average patient may require several treatment sessions to find lasting pain relief.

Like most physical therapies, proper diet, regular hydration and sufficient stretching are necessary for success. The use of a decompression machine may be able to address a variety of symptoms, including:

• Local, chronic neck or back pain
• Traveling pain along a nerve
• Muscle weakness
• Sciatic pain
• Numbness or tingling in the extremities
• And more

Alternative treatments for nerve decompression

It is important to remember, however, that while a decompression machine may treat neck and back pain, the long-term effects of the procedure are still not fully understood. Additionally, the therapy process lasts several months, which may not be a viable option for people in severe pain. If you are searching for pain relief for your chronic neck and back pain and you have already exhausted all possible conservative treatment options, you may want to consider surgery to treat your condition.

At USA Spine Care, we offer minimally invasive decompression surgery and minimally invasive stabilization surgery to help relieve pressure on the impacted nerves in your spinal canal and realign the spine to help prevent future spine conditions from developing. Our minimally invasive spine surgeries are a safer and effective alternative to traditional open back procedures, and we have helped more than 75,000 patients find relief from chronic neck and back pain. Contact us today to learn more. When you do, ask about receiving a free MRI review*, which will help us determine whether you may be a candidate for our procedures.