What can I expect during a treatment?
During each 30-minute treatment session the patient relaxes comfortably on a heavily-padded bed. After being secured into position by an upper and lower body harness, the patient can completely relax by watching a DVD, listening to music, or simply taking a nap. Typically, each 30-minute session is divided into 18-phases where spinal decompressive forces alternate between a maximum and minimum therapeutic level. The cycling of forces in this manner appears to create a pumping action that simulates the natural processes responsible for nourishing the intervertebral disc.
Who are the best candidates?
Patients that will benefit most from the DRX9000 True Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression System™ may be those diagnosed with herniated discs, bulging discs, sciatica, degenerative disc disease or facet syndrome. Spinal decompression therapy can also provide relief in patients suffering from advanced scoliosis.
How does it feel?
Some patients may experience light side effects with this type of therapy. Mild muscular soreness during treatment may occur. The sensation would be similar to what a person might experience at the onset of a new exercise regimen. Most patients find this therapy quite comfortable and relaxing. During an average 30-minute session, most patients experience a gentle stretch in the lumbar spine and tend to fall asleep. Adjunctive therapies to spinal decompression typically include therapeutic exercise, electrical stimulation and cold therapy. Exercise and/or the use of a lumbar support belt are often prescribed to support the benefits of spinal decompression therapy and improve patient compliance.
What conditions are treated with DRX9000
A herniated disc (also referred to as a ruptured disc) is a condition where a portion of the gel-like center of the disc has migrated through the outer layers of the annulus fibrosus. This can cause mechanical pressure on neighboring structures and trigger chemical reactions resulting in pain and inflammation. These changes will often irritate the nerves, producing numbness or tingling in the legs or feet. Left untreated, this condition may result in life-changing pain and physical disability.
Degenerative disc disease is a state of dehydration and deterioration marked by the gradual erosion of the discs ability to distribute and resist mechanical loads. As discs deteriorate, they become more prone to injury from physical stress. Degenerative disc disease may also play a contributing role in conditions such as disc bulges, disc herniations, and stenosis.
Facets are the posterior joints of the spine that aid in keeping the vertebrae aligned. Facet syndrome can result from injury or degeneration of the disc and is characterized by pain, stiffness, and inflammation. The pain generally increases with motion and is relieved by rest.
Sciatica is a condition often associated with a herniated or ruptured disc. When the injured disc compresses one of the spinal nerves leading to the sciatic nerve, it can produce a shock-like pain that travels through the buttocks and down one leg to below the knee. Tingling, burning, and numbness are common in this condition. Sciatica can occur suddenly, or develop gradually. The pain and symptoms of sciatica can be intensified by coughing, sneezing, or sitting in the same position for prolonged periods of time.
What exactly is the DRX9000™ Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression System?
The DRX9000 Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression System is designed to provide pain relief for compressive and degenerative injuries of the spine. Through the application of spinal decompressive forces to these injuries, the DRX9000™ has given patients relief from chronic back and neck pain and has allowed them to resume the activities they love.
The DRX9000 Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression System provides relief of pain and symptoms associated with herniated discs, bulging or protruding intervertebral discs, degenerative disc disease, posterior facet syndrome, scoliosis, and sciatica. The therapy is non-invasive and non-surgical.
The theory behind spinal decompression is a process whereby forces are applied to the spine in a manner that maximizes spinal elongation. Spinal elongation is maximized when paraspinal muscles, the muscles that guard the spine from injury, are relaxed. When paraspinal muscles relax, applied spinal decompressive forces spread apart the bony vertebra of the spine. This relieves pressure on nerves and intervertebral discs. Where this spinal elongation occurs, pressure drops within the disc which facilitates movement of fluid, carrying nutrients and oxygen inside the disc. Additionally, the reduction in pressure can help draw in herniated disc fluids, reducing the size of the herniation.Over time, the muscles and ligaments surrounding the disc can actually be retrained to help keep that disc space open.
How does the DRX9000 Spinal Decompression work?
Spinal decompression on the DRX9000 involves application of forces logarithmically to elongate the spine without causing the muscles that guard the spine to contract. The technology required to apply spinal decompressive forces is very advanced. Engineering research and development efforts involved in the evolution of the DRX9000 True Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression System™ have been ongoing since 2001!
The DRX9000 Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression System utilizes high-speed treatment computers to calculate the logarithmic spinal decompression treatment curve for each patient. A servo-motor / servo amplifier ("servo-motion system") takes the logarithmic curve and applies the forces to the patient. The servo-amplifier constantly checks (several thousand times per second) and corrects the servo-motor's movement. Measurement devices inside the DRX9000 monitor changes in decompressive force experienced by each patient.
All of this data is constantly fed back into the treatment computers. The treatment computers constantly calculate corrections and ensure the therapy is true to each patient's logarithmic curve. This constant monitoring, measuring, and correcting process is called a Nested Closed-Loop Feedback System. This methodology is one of the hallmarks of the DRX technology suite.
