Kelsey presented to our spinal decompression clinic in 2011 complaining of constant
lower back pain which had been present for over 9 years.
Living a
healthy life filled with working out and playing sports, Kelsey was
heartbroken when her low back pain reached a level where she could no longer
enjoy these activities. Anyone that knows Kelsey, knows she's a
fighter and she was determined not to let her pain ruin her life. After
spending countless hours at Kaiser to figure out what was wrong with
her, she was diagnosed with "back pain" and given pain relievers.
Dissatisfied with what she was told, she knew there was more to her
story, so she went to get an MRI. Her MRI results revealed degenerative
disc disease in her lumbar spine, and disc herniation at L5/S1. She
"google searched" for a treatment for her condition other than surgery
and found us! She read our patient reviews about our DRX 9000 machine and how it helps
treat degenerative disc disease and disc herniations, so she figured
she'd give it a try.
Before Kelsey completed her first several session of
treatments, she reported being able to fly on a plane and start working
out at the gym again! In less than 2 months, her constant and
debilitating low back pain was described as "mild low back pain". Wow!
Kelsey now comes in periodically for her low back "tune up" and is able
to enjoy life again! She enjoys going to the gym and playing softball
again. We are over the moon with excitement that Kelsey no longer feels
like her pain is running her life. Keep on rockin' Kelsey!
Our "Patient of the Week" is Elizabeth Hartmann. Elizabeth presented to our chiropractic and spinal decompression center in San Francisco with severe low back pain from a lumbar herniated disc. Nothing seemed to help and she was unable to exercise and was in constant pain. We were able to successfully treat the herniated disc with the DRX9000 spinal decompression system and all is well. Check-out Elizabeth's video review of her experience at our clinic on the DRX9000.
We have been providing spinal decompression in San Francisco for over 6 six years now. The machine we use is the DRX9000. We treat mostly cervical and lumbar disc bulges and disc herniations, as well as degenerative disc disease, facet syndrome, and spinal stenosis.
We do not accept every case…because not everyone that presents with the conditions listed above is a candidate for spinal decompression. First of all…if you have had cervical or lumbar spinal fusion you are automatically disqualified from treatment with the DRX9000. If you have any hardware such as screws, plates, metal mesh, or cement work, you are also disqualified.
Some of the other contraindications to spinal decompression are moderate to severe scoliosis, aortic aneurysm, unstable spondylolithesis, advanced osteoporosis, and cancer of the spine. There are more…but the point is not everyone qualifies for decompression.
When a patient does qualify for treatment, we consider the age of the patient, level of spinal degeneration, whether or not there is a single disc herniation or multiple levels of involvement, overall health, and likelihood of treatment compliance. We only want to initiate treatment with those we feel will benefit and are willing to do their part. Because of this, we are able to help the overwhelming majority of the cases we accept.
There are many variables involved that are adjustable that can improve the odds of a favorable outcome. Things such as water intake, diet, exercise, stress, ergonomics, sleeping postures, and attitude. We try to address all of them.
There is also an art to the actual set-up and harnessing process on the spinal decompression machine itself. Mess this up and you can delay healing or even set it back. We like to think we have it mastered…though we continue to learn more every single day. For sure you want a spinal decompression doctor with lots of experience…not just a machine.
Anyway…most disc herniation patients we meet in San Francisco to discuss spinal decompression as a treatment option, have no idea about the things I described here. Many are of the opinion that a machine is a machine and think…where can I get the best price?
Well…all I can say is…you get what you pay for. If you are reading this chances are you are doing homework and are in the discovery phase and researching spinal decompression doctors. If you live in the SF Bay Area you can see us. If you live out of the area call and ask how many patients the doctor has treated and for how long. Experienence matters. Ask for a complimentary consultation and go in and meet the doctor yourself and see if it seems like a good match and if decompression makes sense for you. And ask to speak to patients that have went throught their decompression program...preferrably with a condition similar to yours.
You can always send me an email at ebendavis@yahoo.com and ask for a referral near you. I will let you know if I can help.
Anyway, if you would like to schedule an appointment with one of our spinal decompression doctors in San Francisco…simply call 415-392-2225 and mention this blog post for a complimentary consultation.
Recently, we performed spinal decompression treatment number 10,000 on the DRX9000. We have never had a spinal decompression patient suffer any kind of permanent bodily harm. Sure, some patients get sore. However, most have been suffering with chronic back or neck pain for years and have varying degrees of inflammation and muscle spasm. And we always start off nice and easy.
Spinal decompression machines such as the DRX9000 are designed and built for the specific purpose of treating neurovascular compression syndromes such as herniated discs, bulging discs, degenerative disc disease, and facet syndrome.
Nonsurgical spinal decompression machines have a built-in biofeedback mechanism which regulates the amount of pull applied to the patient based on how their body is responding to the decompression process.
This is actually the primary difference between conventional spinal traction and spinal decompression. Traction pulls at the same force without any regard to the patients "muscle guarding" response to the treatment. This can harm the patient.
Another primary difference between traction and spinal decompression is that spinal decompression is specific. The DRX9000 and most other decompression machines are able to isolate on a specific spinal disc per MRI findings. The most common disc that decompression doctors seek to repair is L5-S1. Traction pulls the entire spine.
A lot of thought and engineering goes into the design of spinal decompression systems...including patient comfort. Most of the time, patients fall asleep while receiving disc decompression treatment. Some say, it's the best sleep they get every day.
The treatment is about 30 minutes. done 15-30 times over a 2-3 month period.
So YES...spinal decompression is safe. It's safe, gentle, and effective. Which is why spinal decompression is now considered the gold standard for the nonsurgical treatment of herniated and bulging discs.
Back pain effects over 80% of us at some point in our lives. Many back pain sufferers go on to suffer with chronic back pain...which is pain in the back that persists for more than 90 days.
Low back pain is the most common spinal ailment. If low back pain becomes chronic it may mean there is underlying degenerative disc disease, bulging discs, or maybe even a herniated disc. Sciatica or leg pain often develops with chronic low back pain which can really make life miserable.
Recently, I received an inquiry from Belgium from a gentleman who's wife is suffering with severe low back pain and sciatica. Medical treatment is not helping and there are no chiropractors or spinal decompression machines close by. OUCH!
No such problem in the San Francisco Bay Area...there are spinal decompression machines all over the place. I'm not sure if all the doctors that have them know how to use them...but they are here.
The disc decompression machine we use at Executive Express Chiropractic is the DRX9000. The DRX9000 is designed and built to treat disc herniations, disc bulges, facet syndrome, and disc degeneration without surgery. We use the DRX9000 along with chiropractic, massage, laser, and exercise. It's a great combination of treatments for chronic back pain, sciatica, and pinched nerves.
Back pain patients are lucky here in the states...they have access to the latest and greatest technologies, like the DRX9000.
Most of the time, back pain can be helped with conventional chiropractic adjustments. According to Consumer Reports, chiropractic is the treatment of choice for back pain. Spinal decompression is the treatment of choice for chronic back pain and sciatica due to herniated or bulging discs (causing pinched nerves) that do not respond to chiropractic as a stand alone treatment.
Deep tissue laser therapy turbo charges both chiropractic and spinal decompression by accelerating the healing process, increasing circulation, decreasing inflammation and muscle spasms, and promoting new cellular growth.
The trifecta of spinal decompression, chiropractic adjustments, and laser therapy, is very powerful and can achieve favorable outcomes with chronic back pain even when all hope is lost.
So there you go. If you are going to be suffering with back pain...or low back pain and sciatica...or pinched nerves due to ruptured degenerated discs...just be glad you live in the US of A...hopefully near a non-surgical spinal decompression machine :-)
Often times back pain patients are concerned that they may have a herniated or slipped disc in their back or neck...especially if there was a trauma involved...how would they know?
Well...if you have pain radiating down your arm or leg (sciatica) you should be concerned. If it hurts when you cough, laugh, or sneeze, you may have a disc herniation. Or, if you have loss of grip strength, arm or leg weakness...or foot drop, you could have a lumbar or cervical disc bulge or herniation.
A herniated disc can also cause numbness or tingling in the extremities, as well as hot or cold sensations...or just abnormal sensations.
Your nerves transmit sensory and motor input to and from the brain. Herniated or bulging discs put physical pressure on the nerves and can cause loss of sensation and motor function.
Sure, a herniated disc can happen all at once from a trauma. But what's more likely to happen is a disc herniation from long term wear and tear from spinal degeneration and misalignment's. Just like a tire can blow if it hits a curb...or it can blow from driving too hard over time with the front end out of alignment.
And get this...you may or may not have any neck or back pain with a disc herniation.
Actually...you could have a disc herniation and not even know it. In fact, most people that have disc herniations never even develop signs or symptoms. That's right...only a small percentage of people that suffer disc herniations ever even know they have them. This is because not all herniated cervical or lumbar discs cause symptoms or loss of function.
However...of the herniated disc patients that do develop symptoms such as back pain, sciatica, numbness, tingling, or weakness...some of them become chronic and severe...some severely disabled.
So, knowing if you have a disc herniation is very difficult. Because even all the signs and symptoms I described above can be caused by other things, especially after acute trauma.
The gold standard for confirming the presence of a disc herniation in the spine is MRI.
If it turns out you have a herniated disc in your back there are surgical and non-surgical options.
Chiropractic care is probably your best natural solution...then non-surgical spinal decompression...or a combination of both. You may or may not need medical care...it just depends on the nature and severity of your condition.
Most of the patients we treat at our San Francisco Chiropractic and Spinal Decompression Center have already tried medical care for their disc herniations. They are looking for a more natural solution.
Chiropractic adjustments, disc decompression therapy, massage, exercise, and deep tissue laser is a potent disc herniation treatment combination.
Some herniated disc specialists include physical medicine, acupuncture, and nutrition therapy into their herniated disc treatment regimens.
The best thing to do if you have any of the signs and symptoms of a herniated disc is find a chiropractor that offers spinal decompression therapy. Do your homework on-line. You can also email me at ebendavis@yahoo.com or check our list of Recommended Chiropractors.
If you live or work near downtown San Francisco you can visit our San Francisco Spinal Decompression Clinic at the Embarcadero Center in the Financial District. Call 415-392-2225 to schedule an appointment. We validate parking. Ask for a complimentary consultation.
We have been helping herniated disc patients in the SF Financial District for almost 20 years now with our unique brand of chiropractic and spinal rehabilitation.
About 6 years ago we added non-surgical spinal decompression to the mix with the DRX9000. The DRX9000 lumbar decompression system is a machine that uses computerized technology to treat lumbar disc herniations, bulging discs, spinal stenosis, facet syndrome, and degenerative disc disease.
Spinal disc decompression is often times able to repair herniated discs without surgical intervention.
Patients that have been suffering for years with chronic back pain, sciatica, leg weakness, and muscle spasms, more often than not are able to return to a more normal "active" lifestyle.
Non-surgical treatment of herniated discs was once thought impossible. I know that's what I thought when I first heard about spinal decompression therapy...without the knife.
But that was then, and this is now. Non-surgical spinal disc decompression is now considered the "Gold Standard" for drug-less, non-surgical intervention for low back pain and sciatica secondary to a pinched nerve in the low back.
The majority of pinched nerves are caused by either a herniated lumbar disc or a bulging lumbar disc...both of which respond favorably to spinal decompression treatment with the DRX9000 or other decompression systems...there are many good ones.
So...have you been told by your medical doctor that you need back surgery? Have you had numerous cortisone injections? Have you tried physical therapy or chiropractic care with limited success? If so, you may be a candidate for spinal decompression therapy with the DRX9000 or DRX9000c, which treats cervical disc herniations.
Anyway, YES...there is such a thing as non-surgical disc herniation therapy...and it's available at our San Francisco Spinal Decompression Center in downtown San Francisco.
To find out if you are a candidate for lumbar decompression therapy or cervical decompression therapy with the DRX9000 or DRX9000c, call 415-392-2225 and ask for a Complimentary Consultation.
We have helped hundreds of disc herniation patients return to more normal lives with spinal decompression. We treat both lumbar disc herniations and cervical disc herniations. Most of the patients we initiate spinal decompression programs with have been suffering with chronic back pain or chronic neck pain for years.
And most have tried just about everything under the sun...cortisone injections, pain pills, muscle relaxers, physical therapy, chiropractic, even surgery.
Spinal decompression seems to always be a last resort...but should it be? After-all...nonsurgical spinal decompression is safe, gentle, and effective. And disc decompression now has a 5-7 year track record of fabulous outcomes, with minimum adverse reactions.
The primary reason spinal decompression is not considered a "first choice" for herniated disc treatment or bulging discs, is that it is not covered by insurance. And it's not covered by insurance because there are no long term studies (YET) to support the claims of success spinal decompression doctors and patients are reporting worldwide.
There has been favorable preliminary research done on spinal decompression by John Hopkins University, Duke University, and the Mayo Clinic (see Spinal Decompression Special Report)...but no long term studies.
Because of this many medical doctors, physical therapist, and chiropractors, refuse to consider spinal disc decompression as a treatment option for their degenerative disc disease or disc herniation patients.
And, because insurance will not pay for it, many chronic low back pain or neck pain patients try all the covered therapies first...such as chiropractic, physical therapy, and medical care. Only if these back pain treatments fail do they consider paying out of pocket for decompression therapy.
But is this the right approach...why not consider spinal decompression for disc herniations first?
Well...some people are. There is enough information on-line now and enough people have actually done decompression therapy or know someone that has, that they are choosing spinal decompression first...research or not...even if they have to pay out of pocket.
Why? Because life is short and they want their life back NOW!
Human beings are wired to be able to make decisions for themselves when given enough information.
At our spinal decompression clinic in San Francisco we encourage our decompression patients to tell others and to share their stories so that others may benefit...just like they did (see Spinal Decompression Reviews on our YouTube Channel).
I also answer every single on-line inquiry I receive from patients around the world on spinal decompression...and make appropriate referrals if possible.
Life is not much fun when you are crippled with back pain and sciatica...or neck pain radiating into the arm. Or leg or arm weakness. Heck...the worst case scenario is nonsurgical spinal decompression does not help you. Sure...you are out some time and money but you are still whole and can pursue other treatment options for your back or neck condition.
If you have been diagnosed with a herniated disc, bulging disc, degenerative disc disease, or facet syndrome, you may be a prime candidate for spinal decompression.
You can wait if you want to and try all the therapies covered by insurance. Or...you can find a doctor with a spinal decompression machine and start the process now (if you qualify medically)...the choice is yours.
The machine we use at Executive Express Chiropractic is the DRX9000 and the DRX9000c...but there are many spinal decompression machines. Just make sure the spinal decompression clinic you choose has lots of experience...there is an art to the process.
If you need help locating a spinal decompression doctor send me an email at ebendavis@yahoo.com.
We have been providing treatment for herniated discs in San Francisco for almost 20 years now at Executive Express Chiropractic (formerly Front Street Chiropractic).
About 6 years ago we began to incorporate Spinal Decompression into our herniated disc treatment protocols. First it was lumbar decompression with the DRX9000. Then cervical decompression with the DRX9000c. The results have been outstanding.
Spinal decompression machines are designed and built to treat cervical and lumbar disc herniations and related neurovascular compression syndromes without drugs or surgery. Here is a list of the conditions that spinal decompression can help:
Lumbar disc herniations
Cervical disc herniations
Cervical disc bulges & Lumbar disc bulges
Foraminal stenosis
Spinal stenosis
Disc degeneration
Facet syndrome
I like to think of nonsurgical spinal decompression with the DRX9000 or DRX9000c (or many of the other fine decompression systems on the market) as a respirator for the spinal discs. The action of spinal decompression on an injured disc, helps the disc to function they way it would if it were healthy...which helps to make it healthy...to the extent this is possible. There are limitations of matter.
But now I know...hundreds of successfully treated disc patients later...that the body can do amazing things if given the chance. And spinal decompression gives the herniated disc a chance. A chance to repair itself...a chance to give back lost life.
Can spinal decompression help you? Maybe. The only way to find out for sure is to saddle-up and go through the entire decompression protocol, which can take 6-10 weeks.
You have to qualify medically though. Not all patients with a herniated disc qualify.
For instance, if you have surgical spinal fusion or any hardware in the spine you are disqualified from treatment. Or if you have an unstable spondylolisthesis...or a severe scolisosis.
The best thing to do is to find a spinal decompression doctor near you and find out if disc decompression makes sense for your condition.
If you live in the SF Bay Area, you can contact our San Francisco Spinal Decompression clinic at 415-392-2225. Ask for a complimentary consultation. Mention this blog post.
We were the first to offer nonsurgical spinal decompression with the DRX9000 in San Francisco. That was about six years ago. During this time we have helped hundreds of herniated disc patients return to more normal lives. We have also learned from each and every spinal decompression patient, how to make the treatment work even better.
Many herniated disc patients that are searching for a spinal decompression center in SF make the mistake of thinking that spinal decompression therapy is the same anywhere. After-all...it's a machine isn't it?
Sure, the DRX9000 (and any of the other fine decompression systems) is a machine designed and built to treat herniated discs and other neurovascular compression syndromes (bulging discs, spinal stenosis, disc degeneration, facet syndrome)...but somebody still needs to know how to use it and apply it to each individual patient. There is a learning curve.
I know...because our spinal decompression results are much better now than they were in the beginning. In fact...it's night and day.
We are better at determining how many drx9000 sessions a patient needs. We are better at knowing what other therapies to incorporate (such as deep tissue laser therapy) into the treatment. We are better at knowing when to begin exercises and which exercises work best for specific conditions. We are better at the actual set-up of the machine and putting the harness on the patient. We know when we should change the angle of pull or not. And, we know how to teach our patients what they need to do to make sure the results last.
So please...when you are searching for a spinal decompression doctor in San Francisco...ask them how many herniated disc patients they have treated, and for how long. Why?...because it matters. Big Time!
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