What Is Degenerative Disc Disease? Can the DRX9000 Help?

San Francisco Chiropractor and Chronic Back Pain Doctor Comments:

  Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) occurs when the spinal disc...the shock absorber like pad in between the vertebrae...wear abnormally. This usually happens when the spine is out of alignment (degenerative disc disease video). 

The same thing can happen to the tread on your tire when the front end of your car is out of alignment. Both a tire and a spinal disc require proper positioning in order to function at optimum levels.

However...unlike the tire on your car...the spinal disc is living tissue and is capable of healing and repairing itself to a certain extent. In fact, this is why spinal harnessing technology such as the DRX9000 lumbar decompression system was created.

With your car...you can align the front end and rotate or replace the tires. You can't do that with your spinal disc...you only have one set to work with. However, in many cases you can re-align the spine and re-position the disc. Once a degenerating cervical or lumbar disc is repositioned, it is better able to function as intended, often times regaining lost height and water content. We can certainly slow down the degenerative process.

The DRX9000 lumbar decompression and the DRX9000c cervical decompression systems were designed and built to do this. This type of nonsurgical treatment for chronic back and neck pain has become very popular lately...even within the medical community. 

WARNING: This will not work for everyone. It just depends how bad the disc degeneration is. Other factors, such as multiple levels of involvement, disc herniations, spondylolisthesis, and osteoporosis, may actually disqualify a patient from spinal decompression therapy.

Each case needs to be looked at individually. Often times the patient and doctor will manage the expectations together so that even a little bit of improvement is considered a successful outcome in severe cases.

The age and overall physical condition of the patient plays a big roll as well. 

Recently, there has been some exciting research that has come out. It is available in the new Spinal Decompression Special Report. This report highlights the benefits of spinal decompression with the DRX9000, and paves the way for double blind studies. The future looks bright for nonsurgical spinal decompression with the DRX9000.

If you would like to find out if you are a candidate for care at our San Francisco Spinal Decompression Center...simply call 415-392-2225 and ask for a complimentary DRX9000 consultation. 

Read some SF Bay Area DRX9000 Testimonials

Comments

[jdm]

Hi Dr. Davis, I’m a student at the University of Southern California and I have a great interest in spinal therapy for a couple of reasons. First of all, I suffer from sciatica due to a herniated disc. Secondly, I plan to go to med school after graduation and I’m currently looking at orthopedics as a specialty.

I think that this new machine looks like a great treatment method for people with back pain. Surgery should be kept as a last resort, and innovative ideas like this will surely help reinforce that. How long does one session on the DRX machine provide relief for a patient? I saw on the DRX website that the treatment effectively relieves pressure on lumbar discs that are bulging or even ruptured. What I don’t understand is how the disc returns to normal after the pressure is relieved. If a disc has ruptured, how does it pull itself back together all of a sudden during this treatment? I can imagine that a herniated disc might be able to reassume a normal shape, but is there really any way that a patient with a ruptured disc can get an effective resolution of pain non-surgically?

Additionally, how do you feel about this new article published in the British Medical Journal last week (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080131214541.htm) saying that stretching does not effectively decrease back pain? I personally disagree with these results, as I have achieved almost complete success through stretching and exercising my back over the last 18 months since my injury. Basic yoga has done worlds of good for me. When my back tightens up, whether as a result of stress or bad posture, I always find the most relief from stretching on the floor in the Cobra Pose. I also have worked to strengthen my lower back with the Full Locust Pose. Of course, my personal success with this kind of treatment does not necessarily prove its validity in general.

I am looking forward to learning more about this field, so any insights you could offer would be greatly appreciated.

[Andy]

Dr. Davis. I have been having back pain off and on, but mostly on for the past 6 years. Originally I herniated my disc, then did it again 2 years later, then again 2 years after that and this last time the disc finally ruptured. It's an annular tear and has been a constant source of problems since it tore. I did the DRX 9000 2 years ago with success when it was herniated. Will doing the same treatment be successful now that the disc is ruptured? Or am I looking at surgery now as my only option? If the DRX9000 will work, how then will the rupture heal itself so that it doesn't continue to push more of the gel out? Thanks so much for your response.

[Dr. Eben Davis, D.C.]

I have treated patients with ruptured discs. Sometimes it helps...sometimes it does not. It might be worth a shot though. You can do surgery as a last resort.