If you’ve ever been to ChiroCareLA in Glendale, you know we’re home to a lot of high-tech equipment. Dr. Jack Alajajian and his staff use minimally invasive techniques to put patients’ bodies in the best position to heal themselves from musculoskeletal ailments. Some of those techniques involve the use of our flexion distraction and decompression table, which is particularly helpful for patients suffering from certain kinds of back pain.

One of the most common causes of back pain is a herniated disc. The spinal discs are shock absorbers located in between the vertebrae. They are made up of a rubbery outer ring and a gelatinous center. When the outer ring frays, the gelatinous nucleus may bulge outward, distorting the disc’s shape and making it ineffectual as a shock absorber. It may even impinge a nearby nerve. When a disc in the neck is herniated, a nerve leading to the shoulder and arm may be impinged. When the herniated disc is in the lower back, it may cause pain or numbness along a nerve leading to the leg.

A decompression table offers one means of correcting herniation. Once a patient is strapped to the table, its panels will slowly move apart. The stretch will create negative pressure inside the ruptured disc, allowing the pulpy center to move back into place. A flexion distraction table such as ours can also be adjusted to put a patient in different positions, during which they would undergo spinal adjustments. This allows us to deliver more targeted care and uses the force of gravity to help move the discs and vertebrae back into place, instead of being a force the body has to struggle against.

Dr. Jack Alajajian and his staff operate ChiroCareLA.com at 815 E Colorado Suite 250, Glendale CA, 91205. Call 818-246-3600.