Request for help-Information on spinal therapies

Just wondered if anyone on here is aware of or knows something about a couple of therapies I'm undergoing; namely spinal decompression and cold laser therapies. I have degenerative disc disease as well as two bulging discs and have started these treatments for them. Everything I've found personally seems to tout these as excellent alternative treatments for someone not quite at the level of needing back surgery (I'm thankfully not at that point quite yet) but I wondered if anyone on here has heard differently? Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated; thanks.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
______________________
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


that is what my back looks like, so I am qualified to give you the following advice.

Find a skilled Orthopedic surgeon, if that doctor says you don't need surgery, but offers other treatment, go for it.

If you are in central Illinois, I can recomend Larry Nord in bloomington or a Dr Harms in the champaign area. Larry cut me and one Illini basketball player and one Chicago Cub shortstop went in as I like to say in Harms way. I went in Harms way once too, but it was only a tennis ball to the temple, but hopefully you get the joke.

I was treated for a bulging disk, and ruptured disk by a chiropractor and they may offer short-term relief but I never achieved long term relief until the surgery. The treatments you mention sound like chiropractic and you should run, in your backs case, if it feels good do it, nope, dont, run away.

In fact I will never forget waking up after surgery, although I definately felt like I had been hit by a truck, one thing was absolutely gone. the back pain. It was the greatest feeling.

Physical therapy in conjunction with a orthopedic surgeons treatment is the way to go.

Yes, but if the degeneration and bulging is not severe enough (I've had this told to me by just about every specialist, including a spinal doctor, I've gone to) to warrant surgery, and my only other option is medication, I'd prefer the alternative treatments so long as they don't cause further harm. I despise feeling groggy for nearly an entire day because I had to take a muscle relaxer the night before. That's what I'm wanting to know; if anyone's got any information on these therapies causing more harm than good.

And I'm in the DC area, but thanks for the referrals anyway.

http://www.dtstherapy.com/ definitely both chiropractic and, apparently single company. both make me highly suspicious. This one is the Spinal Decomp.


http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_5_3X_Cold_Laser_Therapy.asp
This is cold laser. It is from the American Cancer Society and mentions this in connection
with acupuncture (and uses words like supposed to, said to, reported by rather than: proven, multiple studies have, fully approved etc.)

It is your back, it's not replaceable, just be careful!!

Sabrina said:

I'd prefer the alternative treatments so long as they don't cause further harm. I despise feeling groggy for nearly an entire day because I had to take a muscle relaxer the night before. That's what I'm wanting to know; if anyone's got any information on these therapies causing more harm than good.

Click to expand...

I don't know the particular treatments she took, but a friend's wife has a partially paralyzed leg, directly resulting from chiropractic treatment of a condition that should have been treated surgically.

The call whether surgery is warranted in back pain issues is not a firm one, but my understanding is that degenerative disc disease is almost a sure call for surgical intervention, if the pain is an obstacle to the patient living a normal life. I'd consider investing in a spa before spending any money on unproven treatments. Soaking in hot water will surely make you feel better.