The age old use of traction to help reduce back and neck pain has found a new format in decompression treatments. Whereas old techniques involved securing your head in a collar of some sort, attaching it to ropes and providing traction with weight, new machines eliminate that fabulous appearance of being hung.

New spinal decompression tables now have the ability to target specific areas of the back, providing traction for smaller areas. This allows the treating doctor to focus on a bulging disc without stretching the rest of the back unnecessarily. Each treatment takes between 15 and 20 minutes and is usually followed by icing and a short period of rest. The course of treatment recommended for spinal decompression is between four to six weeks.

There are two models of decompression tables in common use. Both function in the same manner. The patient is placed upon a table and padded straps are used over the chest and abdomen. Small cushioned pads are placed behind the neck. The table is then programmed to stretch certain areas of the patient's back at regular intervals allowing for a cyclic stretch and relax format. The treatment should not cause excessive pain.

The advantages of spinal decompression for disc injuries are clear. If this works for your back pain, you avoid the need to have potentially invasive surgery. The American Spinal Decompression Association suggests that using spinal decompression helps create a "vaccuum" effect that encourages leaked material from injured discs to return to its proper location. It further suggests that the cycles of traction and relaxation encourage water and nutrients to flood the area assisting in healing.

Spinal decompression is currently used to treat sciatica, back pain, disc disorders, and spinal stenosis. Figures on the success of these treatments vary from study to study. One thing is certain; you want to make sure that the practitioner providing the treatment is well versed in the process. Some studies show that poorly trained providers can cause more damage to your back with excessively aggressive treatment.

Whether or not this is a good option for you is something you must discuss with your doctor. Certain conditions of the spine don't allow for this kind of treatment. If you are dealing with constant numbness and pain and are facing surgery, you might want to try this before agreeing to something more invasive. Combining spinal decompression with massage prior to treatment is likely to produce a better effect.

Opponents of this course of treatment cite the expense and the lack of corroborating evidence that the treatment is effective. As said before, the results of current studies are mixed. Some studies show moderate results, others no results at all. As in all new medical techniques, time alone will tell if spinal decompression is effective in the long term.

Spinal decompression therapy is worth considering if you can find a well trained, reasonably priced practitioner. The availability of another non-invasive back pain treatment will provide more options for people suffering from a variety of back related injuries.