At Hershey Family Chiropractic, our team understands how debilitating lower back pain can be. It can affect everything from work to daily activities, making even simple tasks feel impossible. For patients suffering from conditions like herniated discs, sciatica, or degenerative disc issues, traditional pain management methods often don’t provide the long-term relief they need. That’s why HFC offers a combination of spinal decompression and shockwave therapy—two highly effective, non-invasive treatments that, when used together, can significantly improve recovery and promote lasting pain relief.
Here’s why combining spinal decompression with shockwave therapy is such a powerful treatment option for those dealing with lower back pain.
What is Spinal Decompression?
Spinal decompression is a non-surgical therapy that gently stretches the spine to relieve pressure on the discs and nerves. At Hershey Family Chiropractic, spinal decompression is typically performed using a specialized traction table. This controlled stretching creates space between the vertebrae, which helps to reduce pressure on affected discs and nerves.
Spinal decompression is particularly beneficial for conditions such as:
- Herniated or bulging discs: It helps to alleviate the pressure on the damaged discs, promoting healing.
- Sciatica: By reducing the pressure on the sciatic nerve, decompression can help relieve pain radiating down the leg.
- Degenerative disc disease: Decompression therapy helps rehydrate the discs and restore their function.
This therapy is an excellent option for patients looking for relief from back pain without the need for invasive procedures or surgery.
What is Shockwave Therapy?
Shockwave therapy (also known as Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy, or ESWT) is another innovative treatment offered at HFC. This therapy uses high-energy sound waves to stimulate the body’s natural healing response in soft tissues. When applied to the spine, shockwave therapy can help:
- Reduce inflammation: The sound waves trigger an inflammatory response that’s essential for healing damaged tissues.
- Promote tissue regeneration: Shockwave therapy helps repair damaged tissues, including the spinal discs.
- Relieve pain: The sound waves also promote the release of endorphins, which act as natural pain relievers.
Shockwave therapy is highly effective for both acute and chronic injuries, making it an excellent complement to spinal decompression in treating lower back pain and spinal conditions.
The Power of Combining Spinal Decompression and Shockwave Therapy
When combined, spinal decompression and shockwave therapy form a powerful, synergistic treatment that can provide faster, more effective relief for lower back pain. Research has shown that using these therapies together can significantly improve recovery times, reduce pain, and enhance overall healing.
A study published in The Spine Journal demonstrated that combining low-energy shockwave therapy with spinal decompression improved the regeneration of spinal discs, reduced harmful tension, and promoted the rehydration of intervertebral discs. Essentially, spinal decompression creates space for the healing process, while shockwave therapy accelerates tissue regeneration.
The combined benefits of these treatments include:
- Faster healing: Shockwave therapy speeds up the body’s natural healing process, while decompression creates an optimal environment for recovery.
- Enhanced pain relief: Decompression reduces pressure on the nerves, while shockwave therapy helps heal the tissues and reduce inflammation.
- Restored spinal function: Together, these therapies improve alignment, flexibility, and overall spinal mobility.
Why Choose Hershey Family Chiropractic?
For patients at HFC, this combination offers a comprehensive approach to addressing the root causes of back pain and promoting long-term recovery. Specifically, it accelerates healing, reduces pain, and restores function to the spine. Whether dealing with a herniated disc, sciatica, or other chronic back issues, this combination can offer lasting relief without the need for surgery.
To see if you are a candidate for shockwave therapy, please call the office at 717.531.3411 or submit an appointment request!