Herniated disc sufferers used to be limited to the treatment choices of over the counter or prescription medications, spinal steroid injections, physical therapy, or some type of spinal disc surgical intervention. These treatment approaches have had an overall poor success rate and carry a significant chance of side-effects. Now a new treatment option is providing improved results and safety in alleviating the suffering associated with a herniated disc.

Spinal decompression is a new form of spinal traction. Traction has been used for many years in the treatment of herniated discs, but with minimal effects in many cases, and it even aggravated symptoms in some patients. The problem with regular traction is that it activates the body's muscle guarding response and can trigger muscle spasm, which produces pain and may even result in increased pressure on herniated discs.

Spinal decompression systems avoid the problems seen with earlier forms of traction. Even though spinal decompression machines are still traction machines, the true spinal decompression machines pull slowly and gently to avoid setting off muscle spasm. Some of the more advanced spinal decompression systems also have sophisticated computer-sensors and controls on the motors. The sensors monitor the body's resistance and any sign of muscle contraction will cause the machine to reduce its pull and lull the body back into a relaxed state. The most advanced of the spinal decompression machines monitor and respond to the body every 1/17th of a second and react so quickly to the body's resistance that spasm can be avoided.

Because the muscles are kept relaxed during treatment, spinal decompression treatment drastically lowers the pressure inside the herniated disc and creates a suction within the disc that pulls back in the bulging disc material. This suction effect also draws in fluid and nutrients that aid in disc healing and stabilization over time.

Decompression treatment varies in terms of the number of sessions and duration and frequency of treatments depending on several factors such as patient age, the severity of the problem, and the number of herniated discs present. It can be used in both lumbar and cervical herniated discs with a high rate of success.

Statistically, spinal decompression with the more advanced machines, and with appropriate patient selection has a success rate of 80-90%, and of those who are successfully treated, the results hold up well long-term in most cases. Given the success rate and the fact that the most common side-effect is some temporary post-treatment muscle soreness, spinal decompression is often the best option in herniated disc treatment.

Recently, hype and unfounded advertising claims, as well as inappropriate application of spinal decompression by some providers has led to unrealistic patient expectations and in some cases legal action by regulatory agencies and this has damaged the reputation of spinal decompression. Spinal decompression is not a cure-all, it is not effective for all patients, and it cannot be used in every case, but it is a dramatic improvement in the treatment for people suffering from a herniated disc.

In appropriate use, spinal decompression does return the vast majority of patients to sufficient health so that they can live normal lives and enjoy favorite activities, but it does not restore a herniated disc to a completely normal condition. No treatment can. Surgery, including the highly-touted disc replacement surgery (which is still experimental) does not restore a damaged disc to normal. Regardless of the treatment, poor posture, improper lifting and other damaging activities can precipitate a return of disc problems no matter how successful the initial disc treatment was.

With appropriate patient selection and by giving patients realistic expectations, spinal decompression providers can supply a very safe and effective treatment option for those with a herniated disc.