Patients with acute and chronic low back pain will benefit from decompression therapy. When a disc is "decompressed" negative pressure is created within the disc which allows for the reintroduction of water, oxygen and nutrients into the disc which heals the disc from the inside out. Decompression decreases the pressure within a damaged disc allowing the disc to rehydrate which restores the normal height to the disc and reduces the irritation ssociated with the damaged disc.

The procedure is painless and has been structured with patient comfort in mind. Patients are fitted with unique chest and lumbar harnesses and then step onto the loading platform where they are reclined to the supine position. The harnesses are connected to both the end of the table and to the control tower respectively. Arm supports are placed in the armpit region immobilizing the upper torso. A special air bladder located in the lumbar belt is inflated creating a fulcrum that focuses treatment to the specific lumbar disc level that is desired (L1 to L5). The lower pelvic belt is attached to the control tower, which is elevated 0 to 30 degrees above the patient. The procedure alternates angle of pull intervals of 60 seconds of decompression with 30-second intervals of partial relaxation. The entire procedure, including set up time, takes approximately 30 minutes per session. Decompression is achieved throughout the process creating up to 200 mm of negative intradiscuclar pressure retracting the herniation and healing the damaged area. To promote healing and to relax the patient, some systems are equipped with a stereo and even others have televisions attached.

Most patients are scheduled for 20 minute treatments over a 4-5 week period. Most see relief as fast as the first 6 treatments. Pre and Post treatment MRIs have shown 50% reduction in the size and extent of herniations after 4 weeks of treatments.

Spinal Decompression Therapy provides a program of treatments for relief from pain for those patients suffering from low back pain. Each treatment consists of a prescribed
treatment program on the System and is designed to provide static, intermittent and cycling distraction forces to relieve pressures on structures that may be causing low back pain. The Spinal Decompression relieves pain associated with herniated discs, degenerative disc syndrome and sciatica. It achieves these effects through decompression of intervertebral discs, that is, unloading due to distraction and positioning. Studies have concluded that as many as 80% of all Americans will suffer from low back pain making Spinal Decompression Therapy a much needed component in the treatment of low back pain.