Everyday life can be a frustrating struggle for people who suffer from bulging discs, pinched nerves and spinal injuries. Not only can these spinal nerve compression issues trigger chronic pain, but they can also cause loss of sensation in the extremities and severe weakness that will impact quality of life.
The spine is made up of vertebrae and small joints, known as facet joints, which allows the spine to move easily. Fluid-filled cushions of cartilage, called discs, lay between the vertebrae to prevent bone-on-bone friction and absorb impacts. However, a wide range of unfortunate circumstances can affect this alignment. For instance, a car accident or sports accident can cause enough force to push the vertebrae out of position with each other, resulting in a disc to bulge or herniate. Besides undergoing risky and major surgery or using painkillers for the rest of your life, there is a safer, non-invasive, natural alternative – flexion distraction therapy.
Flexion distraction is a chiropractic technique used to treat conditions having to do with the lumbar spine. The technique is gentle and uses a non-forced procedure to take pressure off the spinal nerves that may be injured from a bulging or herniated disc. During the therapy, movements are usually slow, without any jerking or excessive pressure; therefore, patients are not subjected to increased pain or discomfort.
How Is Flexion Distraction Performed?
Flexion distraction involves using a special table that distracts and flexes the back in a gentle motion to allow the spine to move correctly so that pressure is taken off the disc bulge. The special treatment table moves in a smooth rhythmic fashion, allowing the chiropractor to gently stretch and bend the back in different directions while they add pressure to various parts of the spine. The painless non-invasive procedure essentially creates a negative pressure that pulls the disc bulge back into the spine, allowing movement of water, oxygen, and nutrients into the discs to keep them well articulated.
Over time and as we age, pressure on our spines may cause bulging or herniated discs. However, with the use of flexion & distraction, pressure is removed from the spinal discs, which helps widen the spinal canal, allowing motion to return to the spinal joints.
A Natural Hands-On Relief
Originally developed by Dr. James M. Cox, flexion distraction is a well-researched technique that has been proven effective since the 1960s. Many chiropractors, including Dr. Joseph R. Merckling at Merckling Family Chiropractic PC, have been using this method on their patients for many years to manage the symptoms of disc herniation and many other conditions.
Flexion distraction can help with a number of conditions, including sciatica pain, arthritis, lower back stiffness, spondylolisthesis (a crack or stress fracture in one of the vertebrae), spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), scoliosis, and sacroiliac syndrome. Flexion distraction has also been used to help manage conditions that age the spine, such as degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis.
Flexion distraction therapy is a remarkable technique that can help with your back pain discomfort and possibly free you from the need for major surgery. Contact Merckling Family Chiropractic to make your appointment for the flexion distraction technique so that you can enjoy a pain-free, healthy life!
