CONTRIBUTED CONTENT: When neck or back pain won’t let you live normally, could non-surgical spinal decompression help?

For millions of people, neck and low back pain aren't just occasional inconveniences.

Pain can make getting out of bed difficult. Sitting at a desk can become uncomfortable. Long drives can be exhausting. Exercise gets put on hold. Even playing with the kids or grandchildren can become something you think twice about.

And when pain keeps coming back, many people begin wondering:

“Is this just something I have to live with?”

For some patients, non-surgical spinal decompression may be an option worth discussing with a qualified healthcare professional.

Non-surgical spinal decompression generally uses a specialized motorized table to apply carefully controlled forces to the spine. Depending on the system and the patient's condition, the treatment involve cycles of gentle pulling and relaxation designed to reduce loading on portions of the spine.

The idea is relatively simple: by temporarily changing the forces placed on the spine, treatment may help decrease mechanical stress and provide an environment in which irritated spinal structures can settle down.

For someone who has been hurting for months, relief isn't necessarily about making every ache disappear.

Sometimes success means sleeping through the night.

It means being able to sit through dinner without constantly shifting positions.

It means taking a walk again.

Getting back to the gym.

Working without constantly thinking about your back.

Or picking up a grandchild without worrying about what your spine is going to feel like afterward.

Those everyday moments matter.

Non-surgical spinal decompression isn't appropriate for every person or every diagnosis. The first step should be an evaluation to determine what may be causing your symptoms and whether decompression is a reasonable treatment option.

A qualified healthcare professional can consider your symptoms, medical history, physical examination and, when appropriate, imaging or other diagnostic information.

If you've been putting off addressing persistent neck or low back pain, don't assume that discomfort is simply something you must accept.

There may be conservative treatment options worth exploring.

If neck or low back pain is interfering with the things you enjoy, talk with a qualified healthcare professional about your treatment options, including whether non-surgical spinal decompression may be appropriate for you.

Call Natural Spine Solutions at 208-966-4425 to schedule an evaluation.

Your goal isn't simply to get through another day with pain.

It's to get back to living your life.

• • •

Dr. Wayne M. Fichter Jr., D.C., is a chiropractor at Natural Spine Solutions. The business is located at 3913 Schreiber Way in Coeur d’Alene. For more information, please contact us at 208-966-4425.