The Effects of Decompression Therapy

Decompression therapy pertains to relieving pressure on the spine to treat back pain, herniated discs, numbness and several other conditions related to the spine. Spinal decompression seeks to relieve the vertical compression of the spine and maligned vertebrae and discs. The structural problems of the spine put pressure on the nerves, causing symptoms. Spinal decompression can involve surgery, but the term "spinal decompression therapy" generally refers to non-surgical stretching out of the spine, or traction, along with additional procedures to enhance effectiveness.

Basics of the Procedure

• The American Spinal Decompression Association describes the treatment as involving a computer-controlled table to stretch the spine. The patient lies down on the table, either face-up or face-down. The doctor fits a pelvic harness and a thoracic harness on the patient. The computer controls the traction to stretch the spine and decompress the vertebrae and discs. Treatments last 30 to 45 minutes; patients receive 20 to 28 treatments over the course of five to seven weeks, or about four treatments per week. Before, during or after the procedure, doctors may use additional therapies such as electric stimulation, ultrasound and heat, depending on the patient's needs.

Physiological Effects

• The ASDA states that the cycles of decompression and relaxation cause a vacuum between the vertebrae. The vacuum ostensibly enhances the flow of water, oxygen and nutrients into the affected discs, facilitating healing. The decompression also enables the discs to return slowly to their normal positions, taking pressure off of nerves. Patients may notice pain relief after the first few treatments.

Effects in Elderly Patients

• Elderly patients often have back problem, but often cannot undergo back surgery because of age or complicating medical conditions. In a study by David Rosen et al. in "Neurosurgery" published in 2007, minimally invasive decompression therapy resulted in significant improvements in pain, disability and physical function, with results enduring after treatment. The patients were at least 75 years old and had various degenerative lumbar diseases.

Effects on Debilitating Back Problems

• A study published in 2008 in "Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation" by Paul Beattie et al. found that decompression therapy significantly improved mobility within two weeks of the last treatment. Effects lasted up to 180 days, the last time point at which they were measured. Patients had lower back pain and one or more affected discs, and received 24 vertebral axial decompression (VAX-D) treatments over eight weeks. VAX-D requires the patient to be in the prone (face-down) position. Because the study did not have a control group, the author notes that a causal connection between treatments and outcomes remains unclear.

Questions About Effects

• A report issued in April 2007 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services analyzed the published studies of spinal decompression therapy. The report concluded that the limited available data did not permit any comparisons as to whether the therapy has clinical advantages over other nonsurgical therapies. They also concluded, however, that the procedure had few unwanted or adverse effects.