Spinal Decompression

There are definite indications for treating chronic pain at times with chronic narcotics. It's not an ideal situation, but they do have their place for effective pain management. One of the key aspects of preventing opiate abuse is being able to identify those who are either intentionally or unintentionally falling into a higher risk profile for medication abuse. Here are some considerations in identifying those individuals.

First it should be noted that individuals who are on opiate medications regularly cost the health care system about $23,000 annually. This figure increases by $3000 annually if the patient is noncompliant with their medications. That represents a 13% increase in healthcare costs due to a noncompliant patient.

Studies have shown that if a patient is unemployed there is a higher chance of noncompliance with narcotic prescription instructions. Previous drug abuse is another risk factor for noncompliance. At the beginning of care, pain management doctors will often have those being treated sign a pain management agreement laying out the rules to increase the rate of compliance. Most of the time these agreements include that the patient receive pain medications from only one doctor, only fill their prescriptions at one pharmacy, and notify the pain management doctor about any new medications being taken.

This is another method of identifying compliance is to perform urine or saliva samples for drug testing on patients.

One way to potentially prevent narcotic abuse and pain management is through education. Over 20,000 fatal overdoses occur annually due to narcotics, and patients need to know this. Being on significantly high doses of opiate medications can lead to substantial complications along with making that individual a poor candidate for surgery.

Educating individuals on the reasons behind a drug test can make them more comfortable in knowing that it is not simply a method to catch those cheating. There is significant data now to show that even the best pain management doctors are often wrong almost a third of the time on which patients are abusing drugs. A lot of doctors think they know their patients well and are able to delineate between who would abuse narcotics or diverged opiates as opposed to compliant patients. The data shows clearly otherwise.

Once there is sufficient suspicion to assume narcotic abuse in patients, there should be a mechanism in place to get that patient help and prevent the abuse from going down the road towards a fatal overdose. Resources on available substance abuse programs and counseling will be vital to prevent this spiral of abuse.

The bottom line with identifying and preventing narcotic abuse is vigilance. Getting to know patients, having them comply with the pain management agreements, drug testing patients, and checking the pharmacy board website to ensure compliance at the pharmacy are excellent places to start.

Sciatica relief and spinal decompression can be found at your local Chiropractic office. When you are looking for non-invasive sciatica relief and spinal decompression therapy, a Chiropractor can help by diagnosing the condition and coming up with an effective treatment plan.

What is sciatica?

Sciatica pain is caused by an injury of the sciatic nerve, which is the largest nerve in the body. Its roots can be found in the lower (lumbar) region of the spinal cord and extends through the buttocks with nerve endings down the legs. When this major nerve gets injured or compressed the pain can be felt in the back of the thighs, causing weakness, tingling or numbness, often on one side of the body.

The pain of sciatica can worsen after sitting or standing for long periods of time, bending forward or backwards or walking for more than very short distances.

How does spinal decompression provide sciatica relief?

Spinal Decompression Therapy is designed to take the pressure off the sciatica compressed nerve by slowly and gently stretching the spine at a certain angle followed by cycles of partial relaxation. This pattern of distraction and relaxation creates a "vacuum effect" or negative intra-discal pressure.

Along with the use of the spinal decompression machine, your Chiropractor will teach you some exercises that you can do to strengthen the supporting structures of the back and promote increased circulation, which will allow the back to heal more quickly. Gentle stretching exercises also help to warm up and loosen the tight muscles and take pressure of the sciatica nerve.

So, exercise can bring sciatica relief while it also helps strengthen the back, allowing for the body's natural healing to take place.

Tips for sciatica prevention:
Use correct posture when sitting for prolonged periods of time. If your work requires you to be seated, make sure that your chair is the right height and that it provides proper ergonomic support for your back.

• Sleep on a firm mattress. A too soft or sagging mattress does not provide support for your spine, and this can aggravate the sciatica.
• Use correct lifting mechanics. Do not lift items that are too heavy for you, keep your back straight and bend your knees instead of your waist while lifting slowly.
• Carry a backpack using both shoulder straps to evenly distribute the weight of the bag. A heavy bag or purse can cause shoulder, neck and back pain over time.
• Do gentle warm-up and cool-down stretches whenever you exercise. Yoga, Pilates and other exercises that focus on developing core strength will help keep your back in good, limber shape and help you avoid injury when done properly.

Sometimes sciatica and back pain can not only ruin your day, but it can even keep you up at night too. Sometimes the pain can be so bad that you just stay up all night completely unable to sleep at all.

But if you combine these following three components, you'll find that you can finally put an end to the back pain and find a relaxing and peaceful night's sleep.

First you need to use ice. By applying ice to your lower back right before heading to bed for about 15 - 30 minutes, you can help to reduce the inflammation around your sciatic nerve, which is one of the primary causes of sciatica.

If you're a busy person and don't have time to rest on your laurels with an ice pack, that's okay too. You can get an ice compress back brace fairly inexpensively that will hod the ice pack in place for you if you need to run around the house doing chores.

Remember to avoid using heat on your lower back. Although it might feel good in the moment, it will actually aggravate your inflammation, which definitely isn't good in the long run.

Secondly, you need to exercise. You want to do simple stretching exercises that help target the muscles around the lower back and hips. These areas are the most common location where muscle imbalances happen that eventually lead to sciatica.

Stretching exercises will help to loosen up tense muscles that might be clamping down on your sciatic nerve.

When you combine muscle stretching with ice compresses, you will probably be surprised at how fast your pain will go away. Often times within just a few hours.

Thirdly, you need to sleep in the proper position. The best position to give your relief from sciatica pain through the night is on your side.

What you want to do is lie on your side and place a pillow between your knees. This pillow will help keep your legs parallel and ease the pressure on the hips.

Then place at least two pillows underneath your head. You want to make sure that your neck is in a perfect straight line with your back, so adjust the pillows as needed to achieve this.

Finally, place a pillow in front of your stomach to help keep you from rolling over in the night onto your belly. A lot of people toss and turn in their sleep and this is the best way to help you keep this position throughout the night. If you do roll forward a bit, that is okay. In fact that will probably help you take a little more pressure off your hips anyway.

So, if you're having trouble sleeping through the night because of chronic back pain or sciatica, go a head and try out these three tips out. Ice your back shortly before bed to decrease inflammation, then do some stretching exercises to loosen up the muscles, and finally try out the sleeping position I described above. Sweet dreams.

Back pain is common during pregnancy with research showing between 50-80% of pregnant patients reporting low back pain. It is good for expectant women to be informed about some of the options available to alleviate pain as well as what they can do for themselves to ensure a healthy pregnancy. Some women may feel anxious or unsure about seeking chiropractic care during pregnancy especially if they have never experienced chiropractic before - but they need not be. Let's explore some of the frequently asked questions regarding chiropractic care and pain during pregnancy...

Why is there back pain during pregnancy?
There are many mechanical, postural and hormonal changes that take place in a woman's body during pregnancy. Below are just a few examples of typical changes.

Mechanical and postural changes:
- centre of gravity moves back therefore changing the mechanical stresses on joints, muscles and ligaments
- weight gain results in increased overall stress to joints and muscles
- muscles of low back must work more to counterbalance growing belly
- low back curve often becomes accentuated which pinches the joints of the low back and sacroiliac joints closer together resulting in joint irritation
- along with accentuation of the lumbar curve, the sacrum itself tilts forward at its base
- increased breast size can result in mid-back pain as the muscles and joints of the mid-back must compensate
- often there is a change in neck position with loss of the normal curvature of the neck
- women tend to adopt a wider based stance and gait which affects joint position of ankles, knees and hips resulting in joint/muscle/ligament irritation
- pressure may be exerted on nerves due to muscle tension and water retention resulting in tingling or numbing sensations

Hormonal changes:
- hormonal changes in pregnancy also affect biomechanics of the spine and peripheral joints
- a hormone called relaxin is released which softens and elongates ligaments and other connective tissues which leads to greater joint motion and possible joint irritation

As one can see, there are indeed myriad changes that occur. On top of this, minor pre-existing mechanical issues may be exacerbated during pregnancy due to the weight gain and hormonal effects.

How can chiropractic help?
Through a history and physical examination, chiropractic can identify specific problem areas in the spine and surrounding joints. Chiropractic adjustments help to restore proper motion and alignment of joints. In addition, specific corrective exercises are prescribed to help improve posture such that tight muscles are stretched and relatively weaker muscles are strengthened. Beyond this, chiropractic helps by balancing the nervous system which allows the body to heal optimally. Most pregnant women who experience chiropractic care report relief of symptoms and associated improved mood and sleep. Best of all, chiropractic is completely natural and non-invasive. Chiropractors do not prescribe medications which can be of concern especially during pregnancy.

Is chiropractic treatment safe during pregnancy?
Chiropractic care is natural, non-invasive and very safe for both mom and the developing baby. Chiropractors are also trained to identify red flags associated with high risk pregnancy and to refer accordingly.

What else can I do for relief and to ensure a healthy pregnancy?
Maintaining physical fitness through exercise is a great way to promote better health and fewer complications. Regular cardiovascular exercise leads to improved sleep, less pain, less stress, fewer delivery complications and has better birth outcomes for both mother and child. It also reduces the risk for gestational diabetes and pregnancy related hypertension and the associated consequences for both mom and developing baby. A balanced and nutritious diet is also important, ensuring that the fetus has the necessary building blocks for healthy development and mom is healthy too. Other ideas for pain relief include massage and acupuncture.

Following delivery, back pain usually resolves however daily activities such as lifting one's child, bending down to their level, breast feeding and awkward postures associated with raising a child may result in mechanical issues. Thus, some women may choose to continue with chiropractic care during this phase as well to ensure optimal joint mechanics and overall wellness.

Stuber and Smith (2008). Chiropractic for back pain in pregnancy. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics; 31(6):447-454.
Jones, Housman & McAleese (2010). Exercise, nutrition and weight management during pregnancy. American Journal of Health Studies; 25(3):120-126.

What is an epidural steroid injection?

An epidural injection for pain management is a procedure where a long-lasting steroid is administered into the epidural space. The epidural space is the area around the spinal cord, or to be an atomically exact it's the area around the remnant of the spinal cord where nerve roots come off at every level.

What is the purpose of an epidural injection?

With an epidural steroid injection, the purpose is to decrease swelling and inflammation around nerves roots in the epidural space. These nerve roots are typically being either compressed by a piece of disc herniation, or potentially being compressed from arthritis and bone or soft tissue overgrowth with spinal stenosis. Additionally, there are situations where a nerve root is being inflamed from chemicals produced when a disk has a tear in it from degenerative disc disease.

How long does an epidural injection take?

The actual injection typically takes less than 15 min.

What is being injected with an epidural steroid injection?

When an epidural steroid injection is performed, typically there is some numbing medicine that is included which is either lidocaine or Marcaine. The particular steroid that is included may be either triamcinolone, methylprednisolone, or there are a few others.

Does an epidural start injection hurt?

The epidural injection does involve sticking a needle through the skin around the area of the spinal canal. So there is some amount of discomfort. Fortunately, however, the skin and deeper tissues are numbed up with a medication such as lidocaine prior to inserting the larger needle. Sometimes patients also receive IV sedation, which makes the procedure easy to tolerate.

Will I be under anesthesia for the procedure?

Patients do not require general anesthesia for an epidural steroid injection. Often times patients do not even require IV sedation for the procedure, and it is able to be done simply with local numbing medicine. However, patients may receive IV sedation if they have anxiety or stress or simply desire it.

How is the injection done?

There are numerous methods of patient positioning for epidural steroid injections. Patients may lie flat on his or her stomach, the patient may be sitting up, or on his or her side. A lot of this depends on the clinicians experience. The area for the injection is sterilized and the patient is typically monitored with vital signs during and after the procedure. After the procedure, the patient is typically placed into a wheelchair and placed in the recovery area until ready to go home.

What should I expect after an epidural injection?

Right after the epidural injection, patients may feel that their legs are slightly heavy and may have some numbness from the medication. The pain may be dramatically relieved or lessened, which is due to the local numbing medicine injected. This will probably wear off after a few hours at which time the pain will probably return and you may have a sore back for a day or so then the steroid medication will hopefully start to kick in and the pain relief will result.

What should I do after the epidural procedure?

Patients should arrange for a ride home after the injection. Especially if they've had IV sedation for the injection. Patients are typically advised to take it easy for a day or so after the injection. There should not be any significant activity restrictions as tolerated unless it was a special type of situation.

Can I go back to work the next day?

Typically yes patients will be able to go back to work the next day after the procedure unless it was some sort of a complication.

How long will the medication last for my pain?

Typically the immediate pain relief is from the local numbing medicine and this will unfortunate wear off within a few hours. The steroid medication should start working after about 3 to 5 days and its effects may last for weeks to months.

How many injections are necessary?

It is debatable the number of epidural started injections necessary for relief of pain. If the 1st injection does not give complete relief to a patient's symptoms, most pain doctors will perform a 2nd injection and maybe even a 3rd one after that. If the injection takes care of the pain completely, there really is no reason to add a 2nd injection unless it starts to wear off.

Can I have more than 3 injections with epidural steroids?

Most pain management doctors will only perform a series of 3 injections every 3 to 6 months. This is due to the additive effect of having steroid medications in the body and concern over systemic side effects.

How effective are epidural steroid injections?

There is a lot of literature that has looked at this and the results are all over the board. Patients who have sciatica respond better to the injections than those who simply have low back pain. Most results show that epidural injections for sciatica work well between 65 to 80% of the time.

What are the risks associated with epidural started injections?

The risk profile for in epidural injections is low. However there is a small risk of infection, spinal puncture bleeding, nerve damage, symptom worsening, and pain. There are also some risks of the cortison itself including potential weight gain, potential increased blood sugar, water retention, and suppression of the body's own cortisone production.

Chiropractors ask the same questions no matter where they set up their practice, United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom and beyond, they all want to know; "How can I bring in a steady flow of new patients?" "How can I reach more people, telling them about the services offered in my office?" "How can I do both and stay in my budget and receive the best return on my investment?" And if the doctor adds a special service, like spinal decompression, the questions get a bit more specific; "How can I bring in new decompression patients?" "How to collect the case fees for decompression?" Or here's my favorite, "Why is my decompression table empty?"

It doesn't matter if the practice is strictly manual spinal adjustments only, light physical therapy along with adjustments, a decompression practice or how successful your practice is. A chiropractor might see 600 to 700 patients a week; another might see 60 to 70 patients a week. The questions are the same and the fact of the matter is they all want to see an increase of new patients because even if a chiropractor sees 10 times more than another, he or she knows that a continuous flow of new patients is the nourishment that promotes the growth of the practice. Therefore, how to generate more quality new patients seems to be the most asked question of most chiropractic marketing experts.

In a perfect world a chiropractor who opens a practice would have a marketing expert hidden under the desk so that whenever the doctor had a question, the "all knowing" guru could be consulted. Although that might sound really funny, the truth is we all wish we had someone to turn to at anytime and ask marketing questions. Adding more services and specialized equipment into an existing practice with the intention of generating more income has created a more defined niche in the marketing world but created some stumbling blocks for chiropractors trying to tap into a new type of patient, the decompression patient.

Spinal decompression is not new to the chiropractic world in fact we first began to hear about decompression in the late 90's. Thankfully many chiropractors, who heard about this technology, embraced it in its infancy and brought decompression therapy into their practices. These were not minor investments as the cost range of a decompression table is wide, but still run in the thousands of dollars. Risky yes but I applaud those that took that risk. Along with the new equipment comes a mirage of questions. Training the staff is necessary and then there were the coding and billing aspects. Where does a chiropractor go to find answers to all of the questions that will come with the new acquisition? How does the doctor get this new information out into the community so the table can begin to make money for the practice?

Now more than ever chiropractors need a decompression marketing coach who can answer questions about decompression and supply decompression marketing materials. Recently the shift towards niche marketing has helped many chiropractors with advertising and marketing, creating fertile soil for a growing practice. With the addition of decompression marketing to the mix, a new crop of patients will begin to sprout, your practice will grow and you will begin to reap the rewards of a consistent and reliable marketing system.

Radiculopathy, the protruding of a vertebral disc which puts pressure on the nerve root in the lower back, results in what is known as "Sciatica". Sciatica is the pain felt when the sciatic nerve, a nerve fiber which runs through the lower back and down the lower limb, is irritated.

Sciatica is not a medical condition, it is simply a general term that refers to the symptoms of a lower back problem. Therefore, it is not sciatica that should be highlighted during treatment, but the underlying condition which had caused it.

The main cause of sciatica is the formation of herniated discs in the spine. An injury or even sudden twisting movement can cause the nucleus pulposus, the gelatinous part of the vertebral discs, to form a bulge on the disc as it leaks out of the disc and irritates the nerve root on its way out of the spine. Furthermore, vertebral discs weaken over time due to excessive or repetitive stress and also result in leakage.

Signs of sciatica include: pain on either side of the buttocks or leg, which worsens upon sitting and relieved upon lying down, burning or tingling sensation on the leg, and numbness. Sciatica usually gets better gradually over time. However, there have been cases of severe sciatica resulting in the inability to walk or to stand.

A non-surgical, non-invasive, and safe way to relieve pain from sciatica is by spinal decompression therapy. In this method, a machine, the DRX 9000, applies a gentle pulling force that decompress the injured discs by stretching the spine. Slowly and gently, the machine is able to separate the vertebrae of the spine to release pressure until a vacuum is formed. The vacuum, then, works to move the nucleus pulposus back into the disc thereby mending the bulge. The vacuum also allows oxygen and nutrients to move into the injured disc and start the healing process.

Spinal decompression successfully treats chronic back pain as the application of a continuous pulling force that reduces pressure on the discs results in the reduction of pain and other symptoms. A cycle of stretching and relaxation, on the other hand, reduces the chances of having muscle spasms during or after the treatment.

Several studies have been completed and reported on the success rates of the treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain using the mechanized Spinal Decompression machine. One study recently appeared in May 2007 in Chiropractic and Osteopathy. It compared success rates from the use of a non-surgical intermittent mechanized traction machine with the use of TENS in relieving low back pain due to a herniated or bulging disc.

First, to understand any study, you need a picture of the disorder and the chronic misery it causes. Back pain due to an injury or accident is the leading Workmen's Comp injury and the main reason for disability in people under 45. The spinal column is made up vertebrae stacked one on top of another. Between each vertebra is a tough, fibrous cushion, called an intervertebral disc, which contains a jelly-like substance. These discs act as cushions absorbing shock and allowing the spine to bend, twist and turn. Healthy discs are thick, flexible and compress when pressure is put upon them, like a sponge.

When there is an injury, the vertebra may shift out of alignment or compress the disc causing the disc to bulge or rupture, out the jelly like substance. This herniated disc or bulging disc causes pressure on the spinal nerves, resulting in pain, numbness, and may progress to decreased function in the affected arm or leg.

It is also known as:

• a pinched nerve


• sciatica


• a blown out disc


• a slipped disc

The protrusion of the disc or its core material not only causes pressure on the spinal nerves, it compresses blood vessels and interferes with circulation to the area. Deprived of nutrients and oxygen, the disc cannot heal, and, over time, flattens, becoming stiff and hard, just like a dry sponge. This condition develops into degenerative disc disease.

Standard treatment has included:

• Physical/chiropractic therapy


• epidural injections (an injection into the epidural space of the spinal cord)


• NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs)


• Hot or cold packs with massage


• Electrical stimulation (TENS)


• Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression


• Acupuncture


• Surgery - as a final resort

A treatment method that is gaining support is Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression, in which some studies show a success rate of 71% to 90%. An FDA approved machine, using a computerized program gently stretches the patient's spine, slowly drawing the vertebrae apart, relieving pressure on the disc, allowing it to heal.

Testing of the machine continues and a recent study compares treatment results of Decompression Therapy with that of the TENS ( Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) unit. TENS is a small unit which can be worn during therapy. This FDA approved treatment for back pain delivers low-volt electrical current to the affected area through electrodes. Its electrodes pierce the skin just deep enough to reach nerve fibers, usually 1 to 2 inches. It activates the body's pain fighting mechanisms and may be used several hours a day.

The Study

The object of the study was to compare the effectiveness of the two treatment methods in relieving pain and improving mobility in patients with a bulging or herniated disc.

Subjects were recruited through newspaper advertisements and had to meet several criteria for inclusion in the testing:

• Disc protrusion or herniation confirmed by MRI (Magnetic Resonate Imaging) or CT scan (Computerized Tomography)


• Low Back Pain for 3 months or more; could be associated with pain radiating to one or both legs.


• Average duration of pain was 7.3 years

The study enrolled 44 patients; the average age was 42 years. The group was initially divided into 2 groups of 22 people each.

• Spinal Decompression treatments consisted of 30 minute sessions, 5 times a week for 4 weeks. This was followed by once a week treatment for 4 additional weeks.


• The TENS Group received treatment with a TENS unit for 30 minutes daily for 20 days. This was followed by a weekly treatment for 4 additional weeks.


• Both groups were able to take anti-inflammatory and non-narcotic pain relievers.

The Results

The outcome was measured by the 10 centimeter Visual Analog Pain Scale (VAS) and a disability scale. The disability scale rated the subject's ability to perform their most affected activity on a 0 to 4 scale, with 4 being "could do an activity without limitation".

Success was defined as a 50% improvement in the VAS, showing the degree of pain relief. Any decrease in disability was given a positive rating. During the study, 4 subjects dropped out, leaving 19 in the Decompression Group and 21 in the TENS Group, a total of 40 participants.

Conclusions:

Spinal Decompression:

• 13 out of 19 people (68.4%) showed improvement.


• The 6 months follow-up showed 7 out of 19 people maintained their level of improvement

TENS Treatment:

• 0 out of 21 subjects showed any improvement...

Additional scientific studies are being planned or are underway now to demonstrate conclusively the treatment effectiveness of Spinal Decompression Therapy.

Half of your friends, family, and co-workers are telling you to do less. If it hurts to sit, then you should sit less. If it hurts to stand or walk, then you should stand or walk less. Just do less and less, less and less often which reminds me of the old joke, "Doc, it hurts when I laugh. What do I do?" Stop laughing of course. Common sense, really. The other half of your friends, family, and co-workers are telling you to do more. No pain, no gain. If you don't use it, you lose it. Push through the pain and other platitudes. So, if you're at all good at math, you'll realize at once that exactly half these people are wrong, but which half?

As it so happens, both halves are right half the time which means that they're also wrong about half the time. Exercising a herniated or protruding disc is a little bit like driving faster with a flat tire. It's a bumpy ride and it tears up the tire. Doesn't it makes more sense to pull off the road and stop? Yes, it is rather confusing considering that you've all had it hammered into you how important exercise is supposed to be. I've seen patients who have been prescribed a back brace or neck collar, and have been taken out of work, and have stopped doing all the fun things, all of which is of course designed to limit joint motion and relieve muscle strain, who have also been prescribed physical therapy and home exercises. Aren't these polar opposites? Isn't rest the opposite of exercise?

Brushing and Flossing Won't Help
Understand that spinal exercises in the world of physical medicine are a lot like brushing and flossing in the dental world. If you have a toothache can you buy a new tooth brush and double down on flossing to make the pain go away? No, you cannot, because brushing and flossing won't help you with the underlying cavity that is causing the pain. You know this to be true so why is it that you hear so much about the importance of brushing and flossing if we all agree that it won't stop a tooth from aching? Obviously because brushing and flossing helps prevent tooth decay, it doesn't fix it - it helps prevent it.

Back and neck exercises won't fix a disc problem either for the same reason and if done too soon or too rigorously can actually make matters worse. So why is it that you hear so much about the importance of spinal exercises for back pain and neck pain? Because it helps prevent next time. You see, a flat tire won't ever change itself but sometimes a disc can heal itself without intervention, then exercise can help prevent a recurrence. Rest it to start by doing less and as the bulge or protrusion subsides gradually exercise more with the goal of preventing next time.

If the bulge or protrusion doesn't heal on its own, get help. True, like having a flat tire you could either drive anyway and cause further damage or not drive at all, but that's no way to live and just postpones the inevitable. I suppose it's also true that you could live with a toothache, but not for long enough I'm afraid. What could have been handled with a simple filling eventually requires a root canal, then crowns or bridges, and later false teeth. No one voluntarily gets false teeth just like no one voluntarily gets spinal surgery, but too soon you run out of choices.

Doesn't it make more sense to deal with the disc that is causing the pain and then do the necessary exercises to prevent next time? When a damaged disc simply won't heal by itself find out about spinal decompression before you run out of choices. Modern medical science finally has an answer for those who suffer with chronic neck pain or lower back pain.

The Nubax Trio is a new way to use inversion safely and easily. Traditional inversion machines provide relief, but can be difficult to use and dangerous for people with certain conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

There are lots of causes for back pain and even more reputed solutions. A few of the most common causes are:
muscular imbalances
spinal injury
poor nutrition
spinal compression
stress
dehydration

Treatment for back pain ranges from surgery to medicine to rest. Make no mistake- you should consult with your doctor if you have back pain before undertaking any of these solutions. While medicine like pain killers may alleviate the feeling, the underlying cause is still present, meaning the pain will return. Surgery can have long lasting effects, often not of the positive kind.

So what can you do?

One thing you can do is use spinal decompression, the theory being that pulling the spine apart slightly and keeping it that way for a few minutes will allow your discs to rehydrate and correct muscular imbalances. Inversion tables are used for this and they are a very viable option for many people.

But for some people, being upside down is an unpleasant experience and will lead to not using their inversion table at all. Which, obviously leads to back pain that won't quit.

For these people, the Nubax Trio may be their best answer. The Nubax allows you to lean forward into a position that decompresses the spine while not inverting you. This allows a gentle stretch of the spine, encouraging rehydration of the discs and alleviating a lot of back pain.

In general, the Nubax Trio doesn't address stretching of the cervical spine, or neck. This is great for those who have had neck surgery or have otherwise been discouraged from using inversion therapy.

Here's how the Nubax Trio works:
You lay into the machine with the pressure resting on your shoulders
Get a gentle stretch in your back
Use twice daily for 3 minutes each session
Feel better with regular use

With over a third of people experiencing some level of recurring back pain, inversion therapy has become more and more popular. So what do customers think of the Nubax Trio?

People who purchased one have noted it's ease of use and effectiveness after using only a short time. You do need to remember that regular use is the key and that feeling better is no reason to stop using it. You'll find relief quickly, but remember to continue using it until you are without symptoms- then you can back off a bit. Should your discomfort return, simply begin using your Nubax Trio again.

So there you have it: in a nutshell, the Nubax Trio can help you to feel better without having to suspend yourself upside down.