Your back has an important job. It helps you sit up straight and move from Point A to Point B. Your back muscles support your spine and allow you to bend over. Your back also helps you breathe.
Because your back is vital to helping you through your day, it’s also prone to pain. Roughly 65 million Americans experience back pain every year. One common cause of lower back pain is a herniated disc—a condition that occurs when the cushioning in your spine becomes misaligned.
You don’t have to live with the pain; you can do something about it. Improve your mobility with nonsurgical spinal decompression therapy. Texas Wellness Clinic, located in Richmond, Texas, is here to tell you everything you need to know about spinal decompression to help decide if it's fit for you.
Your spine connects your brain to other parts of your body. To help alleviate pressure on your spine, your spinal column contains 23 vertebral discs.
Discs are round, fibrous cartilage that provide cushioning between each vertebra. They have a soft, jelly-like inside that forms the nucleus and a tougher outside called the annulus. When the nucleus pushes through that annulus, a herniated disc occurs.
More than three million Americans experience herniated discs every year. Though a herniated disc is most common in the back, it also can occur in your neck.
Symptoms of a herniated disc include:
Many people with a herniated disc don’t have symptoms and may only become aware of it after undergoing spinal imaging.
Your body undergoes normal wear-and-tear throughout your life. You start to see this as you age in the form of aches, wrinkles, and sometimes a herniated disc. Your discs become less flexible and may be vulnerable to tearing, even with minor movement.
The herniated disc may be the result of using your back muscles instead of your leg muscles when lifting. Less commonly, it’s caused by a traumatic fall or injury. Most of our patients can’t trace the culprit of a herniated disc, which implies it’s caused by degradation over time.
When your disc becomes herniated, it presses on the nerves of your spine. This can create pain that ranges from mild to debilitating. Many people with severe pain describe it as feeling like a sharp, stabbing pain – not only in the back, but often in the buttocks, thigh, and leg, too.
Though traditional spinal decompression involves making an incision in the spine, this comes with risks and downtime. We offer nonsurgical spinal decompression that is safe, pain-free, and effective.
When you come in for your appointment, Yvonne Hernandez, D.C. explains all the steps of treatment and answers any questions you may have. Next, Dr. Hernandez, D.C. places a harness that wraps around your pelvis and abdomen and adjusts it accordingly.
You lie face down or face up on a computerized table during treatment, but are fully clothed. Dr. Hernandez, D.C. operates the computer, which emits a type of motorized traction to your body, gently stretching the spine. This movement changes the position of your spine and allows pressure to be alleviated from the spinal disc.
By relieving pressure, this treatment applies negative pressure within the disc, forcing water, oxygen, and nutrients to it for optimal health and movability. Treatment lasts about 10-15 minutes and requires a series of appointments anywhere from 1-3 months.
Living in pain plummets your mood. It can hinder your ability to perform daily tasks and affects your well-being. Although reducing pain is one of the best benefits of spinal decompression, it isn’t the only one.
Other benefits include:
You deserve to start feeling better with spinal decompression. Learn more about treatment today by calling 361-298-3382 or scheduling your free consultation online.
