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Spinal Decompression

alexschool

alexschool

Member
Sep 12, 2010
43
5
Just looking to see if anyone has tried out sessions on the DRX9000? I have a herniated disc between L5-S1 and another buldging between L4-L5. The herniated one is kicking my butt with pain as it is putting pressure on my sciatic nerve.

I went through the Cortizone shots but they really didnt do anything for me. Just some temporary relief.

After discussing things with my doctor surgery was the only option that there is. Im not really ready for someone to be in my back and possibly screw me up for life. My family doesnt have a good track record with surgeries... My father was paralyzed and my older sister now has RSD.

I have also talked to several people that have had surgery and it sure seems like most are still having issues or ready to schedule another surgery. I talked to another guy and he pointed me to the spinal decompression stuff. He had surgery first, 1 1/2 years later his back was messed up again and he was ready for surgery. Instead he decided to try the spinal decompression route and said he wished he would have gone that way from the beginning.

I had some meetings with the chiropractor in our area that has the DRX9000. He said my back is really messed up and surprised I am not having more pain. The good news is that I qualified for treatment on the machine.

I am 99% sure I am going to go through with it just was wondering if anyone had any opinions since it is expensive and not covered by insurance. $4500 expensive.
 
D

Dsly

Member
Dec 5, 2012
44
2
Wow, that is pretty pricey. What exactly does it do? Do you know/can you explain the mechanics of it?
 
Turbolag

Turbolag

TID's Official Donut Tester
Oct 14, 2012
7,400
1,255
I had good results with inversion for a while.

Have you ever tried an inversion table ? You can get them for around $200.

Have you gone to physical therapy ?
 
DF

DF

VIP Member
Jul 7, 2012
352
65
Decompression can be expensive, but I have know people to have good success with that therapy. Also don't be afraid to try & talk them down on the price. Also you may want to try what Turboag has mentioned. Inversion tables can be very helpful. In the end if you have to go with surgery do not have it done by an orthopedist. Get evaluated by a neurosurgeon. The micro disc surgery has a great success rate.
 
Hazcat

Hazcat

Member
Jan 2, 2011
16
2
One of the Gracie brothers swears by it. I can vouch for avoiding any type of surgery on your back. They'll fix one thing and cause 2 others as you've already witnessed. I think you're making a wise decision. I wouldn't ever allow them to do any more injections either. Just more scar tissue back there. All their procedures are money in their pockets and rungs on the ladder leading to surgery. Here's a link to Rener Gracie talking about pain from a herniated disc. He ended up having surgery but his prevention exercises might be helpful for you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mru33xLcDE
 
Last edited:
RageBlanket

RageBlanket

Senior Member
Feb 13, 2013
166
30
Decompression can be expensive, but I have know people to have good success with that therapy. Also don't be afraid to try & talk them down on the price. Also you may want to try what Turboag has mentioned. Inversion tables can be very helpful. In the end if you have to go with surgery do not have it done by an orthopedist. Get evaluated by a neurosurgeon. The micro disc surgery has a great success rate.

Microdiscectomy is pretty sweet; I had it done for my L1-S1, and it has been solid. I've also had a 2 level c3-C5 fusion, and while that has been problem free thus far, X-rays show that I'll likely have another 2-3 fusions in the next decade.

I'd like to try decompression, though. The methodologies make sense to me.
 
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DieYoungStrong

DieYoungStrong

VIP Member
May 27, 2013
1,388
942
I did spinal decompression about 4-5 years ago for herniated L1, L2 discs. Worked wonders.
 
Project

Project

Senior Member
Jun 22, 2011
114
13
I suffered from sciatica related to an L3-4 herniation for years. Bought an inversion table on craigslist for $40, and after 3 weeks, pain free! Crazy, I know, but no one was more shocked than me
 
M

MatthewC

MuscleHead
Dec 7, 2011
277
21
I had back problem young, even did ultra sound therapy from 15-17. Always had back pain. Some powerlifter neigbor of mine had an inversion table. He said do it for a week, as long as you can, and it will help. It hurt using it, but now, no back pain. Not just from using his a week, I bought one for $100. I haven't used it in 6 plus months and still feel better than pre-inversion table and I'm older and squatting/deadlifting more.

It's cheap. You have to focus on relaxing. You'll be sore, but it's great. I gave it to a friend of my with Chronic back pain and she's feels a lot better too.
 
scotchindn

scotchindn

VIP Member
May 10, 2012
92
4
I have to second a comment already made in this thread. DO NOT LET AN ORTHO DO YOUR BACK!!!! Shoulder, knee, yes! Get a neurosurgeon to do the back surgery if it comes to that. One cortisone shot should be enough to tell you if that will work. It sounds like you had the same experience with it I did. I had a microdiscectomy on L5-S1, so I understand what you are feeling. Decompression may work, I hope it does. My surgery went well, I have no complaints. It was done by a neuro, and I am 10 years post-surgery.
 
Y

yourbodytrainer

New Member
Jul 21, 2011
5
6
Don't buy into the BS about the DRX9000. It is a great passive income tool for a chiropractor but will do little to alleviate your disc problems. A better solution and a more permanent one is to treat the cause of the herniation which is poor spine and pelvic position when you are lifting. The surgeon you went to is giving you a surgical opinion which he is trained to do. Prevention is not in their vocabulary. Prevention for most professionals amounts to recommendations to stop lifting. They know nothing about proper form, spine position or lifting technique. They simply can't tell you what they don't know. This is true for everyone who gives their opinion to you based on their experience, good, bad or indifferent.
I have spent the past 44 years lifting with a fractured L-5, S-1 vertabrae. No surgeries, no injections, no traction. Just constant attention to maintaining spine position and using my hips properly. Spent 22 years competing in BB and PL, squatting in the mid-700's and deads in the high 600's. I'm now 62, recovering from terminal cancer after a miracle cure, still squatting and doing deads, no back pain, no arthritis, and no surgeries.
You need knowledge and better lifting technique. It is not enough to simply "use good form" because most lifters, both amateur and veteran have no idea what that really entails. Remember, its "Your Body, Your Responsibility".
 
S

sprawl33

Member
Aug 15, 2013
30
0
chiro can put you in a decompression machine and it made a world of difference for my ppinched nerve and compressed spine
 
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