What causes low back pain?
Low back pain can be caused by a number of factors from
injuries to the effects of aging. The spinal cord is
protected by the vertebrae, which are made of bone. Between
each vertebra are soft discs with a ligamentous outer layer.
These discs function as shock absorbers to protect the
vertebra and the spinal cord. Many of the problems that
cause back pain are the result of herniation and
degeneration of the intervertebral disc. Degeneration is a
process where wear and tear causes deterioration of the
disc. Herniations, or bulging of the disc are protrusions
from the disc that press on surrounding nerves, causing pain
or numbness.
If I undergo DRX 9000 treatment,
how long does it take to see results?
Most patients report a reduction in pain after the first few
sessions. Typically, significant improvement is obtained by
the second week of treatment.
How long does it take to
complete DRX 9000 treatment?
Patients remain on the system for 30-45 minutes, daily for
the first 2 weeks, three times a week for the following 2
weeks, and followed up by two times a week for the last 2
weeks.
Do I qualify for the DRX9000
treatment?
Since I began using the DRX 9000 spinal disc decompression
unit, we have been inundated with questions from both
doctors and patients as to which cases it will best help.
Obviously, proper patient selection is essential to
favorable outcomes, so here is an explanation of the
Inclusion and Exclusion criteria. Not everyone qualifies for
the DRX treatment.
Inclusion Criteria:
-
Pain due to herniated and bulging lumbar discs that
is more than four weeks old
-
Recurrent pain from a failed back surgery that is
more than six months old.
-
Persistent pain from degenerated disc not responding
to four weeks of therapy.
-
Patients available for four weeks of treatment
protocol.
-
Patient at least 18 years of age.
Exclusion Criteria:
-
Appliances such as pedicle screws and rods
-
Pregnancy
-
Prior lumbar fusion less than six months old
-
Metastatic cancer
-
Severe osteoporosis
-
Spondylolisthesis (unstable)
-
Compression fracture of lumbar spine below L-1
(recent).
-
Pars defect
-
Pathologic aortic aneurysm.
-
Pelvic or abdominal cancer
-
Disc space infections
-
Severe peripheral neuropathy
-
Hemiplegia, paraplegia, or cognitive dysfunction.
Are there any side effects to
the treatment?
Most patients do not experience any side effects. Though,
there have been some mild cases of muscle spasm for a short
period of time.
What is the difference between
the DRX9000 and the VAX-D?
The DRX is three generations past the initial VAX-D table
developed years ago. Actually, the former North American
distributor of VAX-D is the present manufacturer of DRX who
had requested upgrades to the VAX-D unit but was refused,
which explains why the VAX-D hasn’t changed in twenty years.
So he and other decompression spinal practitioners
brainstormed the problems with VAX-D, and with the help of
many engineers, the DRX 9000 unit was developed just a few
years ago.
The most obvious differences between the DRX9000 and the
VAX-D would be their success rate and the comfort levels
while a patient is being treated. Below are some side by
side comparisons.
DRX9000
-
Patient lays on back (supine)
-
Harnesses prevent any stress to the shoulders or arms.
-
The amount of decompression can be targeted to the
specific disc level by varying the angle of traction.
VAX-D
-
Patient lies face down (prone) which can be very
uncomfortable
-
Required patients had to hold on with their hands
causing severe shoulder/arm problems
-
Nonspecific for disc levels with its straight-line
traction
How does the DRX 9000
separate each vertebra and allow for decompression at a
specific level?
Decompression is achieved by using a specific combination of
spinal positioning and varying the degree and intensity of
force. The key to producing this decompression is the gentle
pull that is created by a logarithmic curve. When
distractive forces are generated on a logarithmic curve the
typical proprioceptor response is avoided. Avoiding this
response allows decompression to occur at the targeted area
Is there any risk to the patient
during treatment on the DRX 9000?
NO. The DRX 9000 is totally safe and comfortable for all
subjects. The system has emergency stop switches for both
the patient and the operator. These switches (a requirement
of the FDA) terminate the treatment immediately thereby
avoiding any injuries.
How does the DRX 9000 treatment
differ from ordinary spinal traction?
Traction is helpful at treating some of the conditions
resulting from herniated or degeneration. Traction cannot
address the source of the problem. The DRX 9000 creates a
negative pressure or a vacuum inside the disc. This effect
causes the disc to pull in the herniation and the increase
in negative pressure also causes the flow of blood and
nutrients back into the disc allowing the body's natural
fibroblastic response to heal the injury and re-hydrate the
disc. Traction and inversion tables, at best, can lower the
intradiscal pressure from a +90 to a +30 mmHg. The DRX 9000
is clinically proven to reduce the intradiscal pressure to
between a -150 to -200 mmHg. Traction triggers the body's
normal response to stretching by creating painful muscle
spasms that worsen the pain in affected area.
Can the DRX 9000 be used for
patients that have had spinal surgery?
In most cases the DRX 9000 treatment is not contra-indicated
for patients that have had spinal surgery. In fact many
patients have found success with the DRX 9000 after a failed
back surgery.
Who is not a candidate for
spinal decompression therapy?
Anyone who has recent spinal fractures, surgical fusion or
metallic hardware, surgically repaired aneurysms, infection
of the spine, and/or moderate to severe osteoporosis.
Who is a candidate for spinal
decompression?
Anyone who has been told they need surgery but wishes to
avoid it, anyone who has been told there is nothing more
available to help, anyone who failed to significantly
respond to conservative options (medications, physical
therapy, injections, chiropractic, acupuncture), or anyone
who still has pain but wishes to obtain the type of care
they want.
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