Spinal Decompression

At any one point in time, 1% of the US population is suffering from a lumbar herniated disc. The condition typically occurs when a piece of the intervertebral disc squeezes out from its confines and pinches on a lumbar nerve root. Think of a jelly donut with a tear in the outer portion, and some jelly squeezes out.

The compression of the nerve root may spark up inflammation around the area, and that is what creates pain going down one's leg called radiculopathy, or sciatica. Sciatica is often a burning, searing pain that is extremely painful and disabling for patients.

Epidural steroid injections for herniated disks are very popular treatments, and often work well to give pain relief and avoidance of surgery. But who does well with them? There are 2 types of epidural injections done currently. The first, an intralaminar epidural injection, involves steroid medication being placed just under the bone in back of the spine. These do work, but one of the current options is a transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TESI), where the pain doctor places the needle into a more specific area where the nerve root is actually being pinched as it exits the spine.

Since the problem is the pinched area, that is where the steroid medication works well. A new study out of Australia (Ghahreman, Pain Medicine 2011) looked at transforaminal injections for lumbar radicular pain from a herniated disc. The findings were very interesting. They round that transforaminal epidural steroid injections worked well for disc herniations that did not have severe nerve root compression, but small to moderate compression.

The theory behind their results was that with small to moderate compression, the body produces an inflammatory response for which steroids work well. The success rate in these instances was 75%, which is consistent with numerous other studies on the benefits of epidural injections overall for herniated disc with sciatica.

If the compression is severe, the results in the study were only 26% effective. The authors theorized that in those instances an inflammatory response was not as prominent so the steroid injection was not as successful. If in fact that is the case, in instances of severe compression a higher consideration towards surgery should be given. Especially if an individual has muscle weakness from the compression.

At any rate, epidural injections are an excellent treatment to try and avoid surgery with a low risk profile. It just appears they work better for disc herniations that are present but not in the severe category.

Even though back and neck problems are commonplace, it is a good thing that generally they can resolve on their own. In reality, the usual result of spinal pain symptoms is most favorable with or without treatment.

It is challenging to determine which treatments are or are not successful because of the body's natural tendency of spine-related pain to improve; i.e. the pain often subsides on its own regardless of whether you received any form of medical intervention. However, even with the body's natural ability to heal itself and get you out of pain, many people with back or neck pain experience pain that persists, gets worse, or comes and goes. If you are reading this article, chances are that your back or neck pain problem falls into the classification of not getting better by itself. The following is a list of the more common pain situations:

• Chronic back or neck pain problems that persist for more than three months.


• Back or neck pain flare ups that occur from time to time over the course of several years.


• Back and neck pain for which spinal surgery is recommended.


• Back or leg pain that persists even after having spinal surgery. This type of pain is known as failed back surgery syndrome.

The aforementioned classes of pain do not resolve themselves right away and can become frustrating for you and those near you. Getting the proper information about your back or neck pain problem is your most important resource for improving your spinal health.

Many times, the appropriate timing and implementation of treatment options is the key for you to get over your pain problem with success. For instance, you may see an improvement with physiotherapy treatments that include electrotherapy, ice, and heat in conjunction with an exercise program. In some cases, you might also receive spinal decompression.

The importance of treatment integration should involve chiropractic. Chiropractic is only appropriate in certain cases. You can improve the odds of having a good outcome from chiropractic if you include psychological preparation for chiropractic treatment especially if you have never been to a chiropractor nor have any knowledge of what a doctor of chiropractic does. You can also increase your chances of success by arming yourself with the right information about your situation should you wish to avoid drugs or surgery.

During the course of chiropractic treatment, a complementary rehabilitation program will follow and include exercise, psychological evaluations, physiotherapy, and, sometimes, a referral to a doctor of medicine for surgical consideration.

Keep in mind that there is an alternative to drugs or surgery to get rid of back or neck pain.

You may have heard the term "slipped disc" used to describe a low back injury. Discs do not actually "slip". Rather, they may herniate or bulge out from between the bones. A herniation is a displaced fragment of the center part or nucleus of the disc that is pushed through a tear in the outer layer or annulus of the disc. Pain results when irritating substances are released from this tear and also if the fragment touches or compresses a nearby nerve. Disc herniation has some similarities to degenerative disc disease and discs that herniate are often in an early stage of degeneration. Herniated discs are common in the low back or lumbar spine.

What causes discs to herniate?

Many factors decrease the strength and resiliency of the disc and increase the risk of disc herniation. Life style choices such as smoking, lack of regular exercise, and inadequate nutrition contribute to poor disc health. Poor posture, daily wear and tear, injury or trauma, and incorrect lifting or twisting further stress the disc. If the disc is already weakened, it may herniate with a single movement or strain such as coughing or bending to pick up a pencil.

How do I know if I have a disc herniation?

Herniated discs are most likely to affect people between the ages of 30 and 40. Disc herniations may be present without causing pain. The most common symptom will be pain in the area of the herniation that may radiate across the hips or into the buttocks. You may also experience numbness or pain radiating down your leg to the ankle or foot. If the herniation is large enough, you may notice weakness with extension of your big toe and you may be unable to walk on your toes or heels. In severe cases of lumbar disc herniation, you may experience changes in your bowel or bladder function and may have difficulty with sexual function.

How is a disc herniation treated?

Mild to moderate disc herniations can usually be treated conservatively with stretching, exercise therapy and chiropractic care. More advanced cases will often require some form of spinal decompression, such as traction or mechanical decompression, in conjunction with chiropractic care.

Occasionally, a herniation may be severe enough to warrant surgical intervention. These cases are usually reserved as a last resort when other forms of therapy have failed to relieve pain, or if there is significant compression of the spinal cord or nerves.

How will this effect the rest of my life?

When I was first injured it seemed I was destined to be in a wheelchair forever. Over time, actually about 8 months, I began to see some noticeable differences in my range of motion and pain level. Today over 12 years later I live a very active life and don't feel as if I have to stop being an active dad. Although even this long after my injury I have some pretty rough days. There are times when I get the electric shock pain down my legs or can't get up. I've learned over the years when this happens "Don't Panic", for me I just return to regular chiropractic check ups, routine stretching, and get my diet back on track. Your back pain can be used as a barometer to alert you that you're getting over stressed or not exercising as regular as you should. I highly recommend you find a doctor or therapist you trust to give you good advice or treatment. Ultimately you will have to make the decisions as to what works best for you but know there are lots of options other than surgery. And you can get back to a normal active life even in severe cases.

Coccydynia is pain in the coccyx, the tailbone, which can cause a great amount of discomfort and limit mobility. Sometimes, this pain is not taken seriously by general practitioners but it is important to learn the cause if the pain persists. In some cases, the cause is obvious as pain develops after a fall or injury. A pilonidal cyst also creates pain in the coccyx and since there is often a visible abscess, diagnosing the problem is simple. 

Other causes of coccydynia are more complex and require a thorough examination and diagnosis. One of the first goals is to rule out the possibility of cancer as a cause of the pain. Before deciding upon a plan of treatment, it is important to distinguish coccyx pain from low back pain or other causes not related to the coccyx. 

Diagnosing Coccydynia

• History and Physical must be completed.


• CT Scan (Computerized Tomography)


• MRI ( Magnetic Resonance Imaging)


• Dynamic X-rays -this means x-rays taken when sitting and standing. A comparison may show a coccyx that dislocates when the patient sits, causing pain. 

Falls

• Use a cushion or well padded seat to relieve pressure on the coccyx when sitting. Several new devices have been developed which are far superior to rubber donuts or foam pads. Many can be found on the internet when doing a search for 'coccyx cushions'. This cushion may be necessary for an extended period of time.


• Rest and avoid re-injury.


• Anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprophen and naproxyn, are helpful.


• Corticosteroid or local anesthetic injections may dramatically relieve persistent pain. 

• Rest and avoid re-injury.


• Corticosteroid injections are helpful.


• If pain persists and corticosteroids are unsuccessful, the coccyx may be removed surgically. 

• Rest often allows the coccyx to return to its normal position.


• If this fails, treatment as for Unstable or Dislocating Coccyx is appropriate. 

This is due usually to long periods of rowing or bicycle riding.

• Rest - avoid activities that caused the pain.


• Anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprophen or naproxyn relieve discomfort. 

• Injections of corticosteroids are often helpful.


• Surgery is not recommended. 

• Local injection of corticosteroids and/or local anesthetic have been helpful.


• Surgery has been successful.

• Physical therapy and massage have been effective in relieving spasm. 

• Physical therapy


• Stretching exercises


• Injections of Corticosteroids Locally 

• Surgical removal is necessary as infection reoccurs repeatedly. 

Coccyx pain and the associated difficulty with sitting and movement can be most miserable and memorable. Sufferers who gain relief are always anxious to avoid any recurrence whenever possible.  

Stem Cell rich injections are now available for patients dealing with painful conditions. This represents a potential breakthrough in pain management for patients dealing with back, neck, arm, and leg pain.

For decades the gold standard in pain management treatment has been steroid injections for spinal or extremity pain issues. These cortisone injections work well with excellent results over 75% of the time. However, steroid injections do not alter the course of arthritis or soft tissue injury. They simply offer pain relief for a finite time period and then need to be repeated usually. In addition, there are significant limitations on the frequency with which corticosteroid injections may be performed due to potential adrenal gland problems and blood sugar issues. Most pain doctors recommend no more than once every few months for injections, and if multiple joints are being injected the total amount of steroid going into the body can add up quickly.

For a long time, the holy grail for arthritis and soft tissue injury has been to find a cell regenerating injection substance which both relieves pain and helps regenerate bone or soft tissue. Steroid injections only help with the pain relief portion. The non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory, stem cell injections that are processed from amniotic fluid have the potential for cartilage and soft tissue regeneration along with offering pain relief.

The regenerative effects have been shown in both the laboratory as well as in animal studies. Cartilage defects have been able to be filled with real cartilage. What is seen now is that cartilage defects typically are filled in with pseudo-cartilage, which is also known as fibrocartilage. This is not nearly as durable long term as native types of cartilage.

The non-steroidal stem cell therapy product is made from the amniotic fluid of live donors, and is neither fetal nor embryonic. The stem cells that come in the substance are not pluripotent, meaning they are not capable of differentiating into all cell types. However, they are capable of differentiating into most cell types, including, bone, muscle, and cartilage, which is the most important for orthopaedic and pain management injections.

The human amnion derived allograft has been used over 4000 times in the US over the past few years. Indications have included soft tissue injections, spinal fusion enhancement, wound healing, degenerative joint disease, joint injections, and injection around the spinal cord as a scar barrier. Adverse events with this potentially regenerative medicine substance have been minimal and results have been encouraging.

At this point in time, regenerative medicine injections are becoming more and more popular. Larger research studies need to be done, so for now the anecdotal excellent results are enough to spur its popularity.

So many people forget, or can not figure out how, to effectively stretch their largest muscle in their body - their back. What is the best way to do so? In my opinion, and according to many others, the best way to stretch your back is by inverting on a machine call an inversion table.

Why is an inversion table better than using some of the other back stretching tools (you know, the ones that look like a half-circle that you essentially lie down on, stretching your back the opposite way of bending over)? Simply put, because inverting effectively uses gravity to reverse the same force that has been pulling you and your back down and out of joint each and every day, even in your sleep. Don't get me wrong, the other back stretching machines are good, and I strongly encourage you to use them as well, but if I had to pick just one, then it would be the inversion table.

Inversion therapy does the following to help reduce back pain. Inversion therapy will help your back decompress as gravity pulls your back in the inverse as it normally does, effectively taking pressure of the discs and allowing them to widen. When this happens, the disc and soft tissue will rehydrate, essentially filling up with good nutrients which in turn reduces nerve and sciatic pressure, realigns your back, and relaxes those tense back muscles.

In addition, inversion therapy will also help you with many other benefits (such as increased oxygen flow to your brain, increased blood circulation to your heart, and helps recover height that is lost over time (the average person will shrink a few inches in their lifetime to due gravity).

So, while other back stretching machines are good for you, they will not do as many or the same things that an inversion table will, which is why I would strongly recommend the inversion table if you had to choose just one.

If you are suffering from a herniated disc, you should consider therapy as a possible remedy. A type of disc problem involves the rubbery cushion between the individual vertebrae of your spine to push out through a crack of the tougher exterior of the disc.

Symptoms usually include a numbing or tingling sensation that begins in one leg and can extend from the buttocks down to the knee. In some cases, the pain can extend from the buttocks all the way down to the ankle and even the foot. Pain can also be present in the front of the thigh, and a person can have severe and even extreme muscle spasms due to a herniated disc.

There are many types of herniated disc therapy. One form of therapy that is used by chiropractors is non-surgical spinal decompression.

Non-surgical spinal decompression involves the use of a mechanical traction device that is operated by an on-board computer. This device regulates the angle and force of disc distraction, which limits the body's natural ability to generate muscle spasms. Non-surgical spinal decompression helps to reduce intradiscal pressure, which reverses nerve impairment, reduces loading of the spine, and enables damaged spinal discs to heal themselves over time.

A type of mechanical traction that is used in non-surgical spinal decompression is inversion therapy. This involves the patient hanging upside down in order to achieve relief from a herniated disc. This therapy works by alternating between 15 one-minute decompression and relaxation cycles to reduce the pressure on the herniated disc and to allow the tougher exterior of the disc to heal.

There are several versions of therapy, including range-of-motion (ROM) decompression. Range-of-motion decompression involves the chiropractor adjusting the patient's spinal posture while the decompression is taking place. This allows the decompressive pulling forces that are applied during the spinal decompression to reach into the spinal areas and tissues. These are areas that are often not affected by basic linear decompression.

Spinal decompression through inversion therapy is a popular herniated disc therapy because spinal decompression does not have the risks associated with surgery, anesthesia, or injections, yet can be quite effective in providing relief from a herniated disc. Therefore, spinal decompression is considered to be a safer herniated disc therapy option as compared to surgery or injections. Additionally, spinal decompression is an FDA-approved therapy and is generally less expensive than surgery or injections.

Non-surgical spinal decompression therapy is a herniated disc therapy option you should consider if you have any of the following conditions:

- Numbness
- Tingling
- Radiculopathy (sensory and motor disturbances that cause severe pain and muscle weakness within the neck, back, arm, shoulder, or leg)
- Spondylosis (degenerative osteoarthritis of the joints between spinal vertebrae and the openings within the vertebrae)
- Lower back pain
- Sciatica (numbness, weakness, pain, or tingling within the leg due to pressure or injury on the sciatic nerve)
- Disc hernia
- Disc protrusion
- Spinal injuries
- Foraminal stenosis (narrowing of the small canal in the spine)

Therefore, if you are suffering from any of the aforementioned symptoms, you may have a herniated disc and need to seek therapy in order to obtain long-term relief. Non-surgical spinal decompression is an FDA-approved therapy option you should consider, as it can provide the relief you are seeking without the need for surgery or injections.

Of all the non surgical treatments used to treat back pain, spinal decompression care is one popular name. It is also particularly effective when it comes to treating back wounds. It's also an FDA authorised measure to eliminate the back pain.

This alternative cure of back pain is used to cure numerous back conditions. It is used to cure prominent and herniated disc. It has also been found you can treat sciatica and pinched nerve fibres with spinal decompression therapy.

Spinal decompression treatment works on the principle of reducing stress on the spinal discs. As a result of it, the back stiffness gets relieved. Often, compression of the spinal discs is what leads to back pain which is due to strain on the vertebrae. You must always remember that bones may experience a high level of pressure on account of factors like slumped posture, inaccurate standing, sitting or sleeping. Such pressure could in turn compress the spinal discs and cause lots of back pain.

This alternative cure decompresses your spinal discs to relieve you from back trouble. The patient is strapped to a transportable table that causes a mild distraction force while moving. This immediately affects the painful parts of your body. A computerized control is used to maneuver this force. And, the strength of the force is controlled relying upon the patient's condition and wishes.

The force is applied on the spine to tug it to elongate the spine, to make space between your backbones. The empty space is utilized by the compressed discs to fall back into their place. When you are taking the treatment sessions of this Spinal decompression, you are asked to take correct rest as well. This is to make sure that you do not take any pointless stress. These treatment sessions are also accompanied by cold and heat therapy for more satisfying results and especially in case when the patient is under great discomfort.

The number of sessions needed to relieve back pain may alter from patient to patient, dependent on the severity of the problem. However, it is often said that 28 sessions could treat the problem fully. These sessions could be administered in a timeframe of one to two months. A single session is of roughly 30 to Forty minutes.

Spinal decompression treatment could help you get rid of sciatica and other types of back trouble, successfully. But, before you decide to go for it, it's better to know about all its pros and cons. Since, it's a natural care, there are extraordinarily rare odds of any complications and that's the positive thing about it. But the disadvantage is that it can take quite some time for this care to supply results.

Spinal decompression is a wonderful alternative treatment for those that are on the lookout for a method to treat sciatica naturally or different types of back trouble. Just give it a try.

Spinal Decompression therapy is an exciting modern healthcare treatment for back and neck pain due to a variety of conditions.  There is a great deal of research to support the effectiveness of spinal decompression in relieving pain and symptoms.  Many doctors, clinics, marketing companies, and equipment manufacturers really go overboard when praising the benefits of decompression however!  Arrogant and over the top decompression advertisements give spinal decompression a bad reputation that it doesn't deserve.  Healthcare providers need to make sure their spinal decompression advertising and marketing isn't making promises they can't keep.   

Don't get me wrong, I have seen first hand evidence that spinal decompression works.  I have seen many patients steer clear of the path of drugs and surgery thanks to spinal decompression and conservative chiropractic care.  Although I believe in spinal decompression, I also know it has limitations.  Spinal decompression is not a magic cure all.  It is not an instant, guaranteed fix for herniated discs or back pain.  Marketing decompression as if it is, is simply unethical.  While that may seem obvious, we always need to be aware of the message our spinal decompression marketing is sending.  

I understand most healthcare providers don't design their own marketing.  Most simply pay someone else to design and run it.  That is still no excuse for not critically analyzing your advertisements and they statements they make.  The doctor or healthcare provider is ultimately the person responsible for the contents of their advertising.  When it comes to state board regulations there is no passing the buck.   How often have you come across a spinal decompression ad that makes bold statements about curing this or that condition?  How often have you read an ad that you KNEW violated state board rules or other regulations?  More importantly, are you running these ads yourself?  Even though an ad may be effective in generating new patients, it can still be potential trouble. 

For example, about a month ago while traveling for a seminar I came across a simple and well designed decompression ad.  It was very compelling and ended with a strong offer and a call to action.  I had no doubt it was a very effective ad.  My problem was with the headline, which read something to the effect of: "Spinal Decompression can eliminate your back pain due to herniated or bulging discs . . . without drugs or painful surgery!"    I've also come across a few ads flat out stating that spinal decompression is a non-surgical CURE for back pain.  These types of ads can land a practice in hot water.  It is also my personal opinion that these ads are both dishonest and unethical.  You may not share my concerns, but look at what these ads are really saying to the prospective patient. 

Let's look at the first example ad.  The ad states that spinal decompression CAN eliminate back pain. It doesn't say it might, or that it is a possibility.  It states that it CAN.  Now we could split hairs here and debate the meaning of "can".  Some would argue that the usage of "can" simply implies that decompression has the potential to eliminate back pain.  I would agree it's a possibility, but I don't want my state board, or a court interpreting the meaning of my advertising content.  I think a much better choice would be statement like "spinal decompression may be able to help relieve your pain and symptoms . . . without drugs or surgery".  This may not be as eye catching as the original headline, but it conveys the same message and does so ethically.  There is no promise.  There is no statement left for loose interpretation.  Written this way the ad simply states that spinal decompression MAY be an option.  Without directly stating so, the ad also indicates to a reasonable person that spinal decompression is NOT always an option and it is NOT always effective.  

Another concern with that first example ad is the word "eliminate".  Is it really ethical to be talking about ELIMINATING pain or symptoms?  A statement like that can lead to false expectations on the part of new decompression patients.  Patients will come in expecting elimination of their pain and symptoms, when the honest to goodness truth is we have no idea whether treatment will be effective.  Wouldn't the word "reducing" or "relieving" be a much better choice than "eliminating"?  As you can see, you should choose your wording carefully when you advertise.  Changing one or two words in the copy of an advertisement can lead to a potential problem.  Although a mistake may be an honest oversight or miscommunication between the advertiser and provider, it doesn't excuse the doctor from any liability.  

The second type of ad I mentioned were those overly confident ads that boast spinal decompression can cure back pain or herniated discs.  Yes, these ads do exist.  I have seen them with my own eyes.  I still cringe when I read them.  A healthcare provider shouldn't be advertising that they can cure anything with spinal decompression.   These types of ads are flat out unethical and illegal.  They are a disservice to the prospective patient because they make statements that simply aren't true!  I usually give these doctors the benefit of the doubt and assume they simply haven't carefully looked at what their ads are saying.  

It may seem that it is very easy to accidentally cross over into the world of unethical and dishonest spinal decompression advertising.  This may be true, but it is also just as easy to prevent this from happening.  Here are10 easy tips to ensure your spinal decompression marketing is both effective and ethical:  

1. Be Informed.


2. Accept responsibility


3. Curb your enthusiasm


4. Don't Promise Anything


5. Use Common Sense


6. Put yourself in the Prospective Patient's Shoes


7. Patients Before Profit


8. Your Competition is not a Role Model


9. Be Consistent


10. Control Costs  

Know your state laws and any other applicable rules and regulations. Ignorance of the law is no excuse.  Do your homework and make sure your spinal decompression marketing is in full compliance.  Don't leave any grey areas which are open to interpretation.  

2.  Accept Responsibility

You already know this, but it bears repeating. Ultimately the doctor or provider is responsible for the advertising they run.  Don't expect a marketing firm, a media outlet, or anyone else to accept responsibility for your mistakes.  In the end YOU as a healthcare provider are responsible for the content of your advertising.  It is YOUR license and reputation which are on the line.  Market ethically or don't do it at all!  

3.  Curb Your Enthusiasm

We both know spinal decompression is great.  As healthcare providers we are convinced spinal decompression can help our patients.  It is important to remember to keep our passion and confidence in decompression in check.  Communicate your confidence in decompression, but remember that nothing is guaranteed.  This leads us to tip number four.  

4.  Don't Promise Anything!

Do yourself and your patients a favor: don't make any promises you can't keep.  Do not advertise that spinal decompression can definitively cure, stop, or eliminate anything.  If you want to state that spinal decompression may be able to do these things, I think you are treading in much safer waters!  

5.  Use Your Common Sense

I have faith that we all possess at least some degree of common sense.  Use it! If something seems like a grey area or a bad idea it probably is!  Stop and think about the impact any given form of advertisement is going to have on you and your practice before you run it.  Try and visualize both the positive and potential negative impacts of an advertisement before committing.  Following tip number six well help here.  

6.  Put Yourself in the Prospective Patient's Shoes

It is easy to assume others know what we are trying to express in our advertising.  We see the benefits of spinal decompression everyday so we have a biased point of view.  One of the best ways to critically evaluate your spinal decompression marketing is to look at each and every ad from an outsider's point of view.  Pretend you are a prospective patient who knows nothing about spinal decompression.  Take a look at your advertisements and interpret them from an outsider's point of view.  What does your marketing say?  Does it make promises?  Can the ad be misunderstood and taken too literally?  It is often beneficial to enlist the help of a friend or relative with this step.  

7.  Patients Before Profit

This one is simple.  Remember the main goal is to help patients and improve quality of life.  The goal is not make as much money as possible.  Profit is a factor in the equation, but it shouldn't be the driving force behind your marketing.  One of the fastest ways to start marketing unethically is to market only to make money.  Focus on bringing in patients into your practice that you want to help.  When you market with the end goal of helping people get out of pain and back to enjoying a better quality of life you will be amazed how profit falls into place.  Your spinal decompression will be ethical and you will still make money.   Position yourself as a doctor who truly cares about your patients and those patients will reward you.        

8.  Your Competition is not a Role Model

Never rely on your competitor's advertising to tell you what is legal and ethical.  Just because Dr. Jones down the street at XYZ Clinic gets away with it doesn't meet it is acceptable.  Focus on tips 1-7 and let the competition say what they will!  

9.  Be Consistent

Make sure your spinal decompression advertising and marketing maintains a central theme and message.  At the very least make sure your different advertisements don't contradict one another.  Don't tell patients one thing in one and something totally different in the next.   Maintaining consistency is key.  If your ads are sending mixed messages, your audience may dismiss them as unethical junk that tells them what they want to hear rather than the truth.  

10.  Control Costs

What do costs have to do with ethical marketing?  Nothing leads to unethical marketing faster than when a doctor overextends their marketing budget.  Think of it as the familiar old saying, "Desperate times call for desperate measures".  Panicked doctors who spent too much on advertising often say and promise things they normally wouldn't.  When that expensive advertising they can't afford doesn't work, the situation is often even more critical.  These individuals may begin to use questionable marketing ethics in effort to bring in more patients.  Never put yourself in this position.  Set a marketing budget that is affordable.  Know this budget and stick to it!  

The preceding tips are  ten easy ways to ensure your spinal decompression marketing is ethical.  Unfortunately many spinal decompression providers market with questionable ethics.  This is both bad for their profession and a disservice to the patient.   Healthcare providers owe it to their patients to market truthfully.  Hopefully I have demonstrated that spinal decompression marketing can be both effective and ethical.  Follow the advice above, stay humble, and use your common sense.  Whenever I run an advertisement I think of something my father would tell me when I was a teenager: "Don't let your mouth write a check your butt can't cash!"  That advice still applies today!  

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