This is of earth-shattering importance if you suffer chronic neck or back pain, or sciatica. If a bulging disc is narrowing the space between your vertebrae, it can cause compression on a nerve, causing your pain. But if the disc can be de-compressed from the inside out, without surgery, your problem could be solved.  

     Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression has been embraced worldwide by doctors of all disciplines: orthopedists, neurosurgeons, chiropractors, osteopaths, etc.  

    Dr. Foglia is proud to offer this revolutionary treatment technology, but he urges you to be mindful that although decompression therapy is a fantastic treatment… it’s not “magic.” It doesn’t help everyone, and he does recommend some people to consult with orthopedic or neurological surgeons.  Not everyone is a candidate for non-surgical spinal decompression.  

    Obviously, no individual type of treatment is right for everyone. No two people are alike.  Maybe you have been to a doctor who took one quick look and told you that you need surgery, and that it’s your “only option.” Maybe that’s been true for steroid injections, or chiropractic, or physical therapy.

    However, that is NOT how Dr. Foglia evaluates his patients! Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression is a fantastic treatment technology.  It is just one of his many non-invasive treatment options.  Dr. Foglia’s philosophy is that unless it’s a true emergency, non-invasive rehabilitative treatment options should be considered FIRST, before surgery is performed. And if pain medications are prescribed, he thinks they should be for minimal and short-term use only, while we seek out treatment of the underlying causes of the pain.   

    Don't PANIC If You've Been Told You Have a “Herniated Disc.”  Don't assume you need surgery.  Don’t put up with that! Contrary to popular myth, discs can heal without surgery. Perhaps that’s not what you’ve been told. 
 
    Are You Ready To Get Serious About Your Back Pain and Sciatica?

    Spinal Decompression Therapy has taken the back and neck pain treatment field by storm! It’s time you found out why this breakthrough medical technology is fast becoming the most sought after (and imitated ) method of treating pain due to bulging, herniated and degenerative spinal discs.     If you’re fortunate enough to be a candidate for this treatment, you will have an excellent chance to be able to quickly, painlessly, and safely end your misery, without drugs, steroid injections or spinal surgery.  Even if many other types of treatment have failed you… even if you’ve been told by a doctor that "nothing can be done...you'll either 'have' to have surgery...or learn to live with the pain"… you may soon have answer to a better quality of life: one free of back or neck pain, or sciatica.
  
     Some Historical Background of Decompression Science

     Researchers have been working hard for many years to perfect spinal decompression technology. In 1991 Dr. Alan Dyer, PhD, M.D., the former Deputy Minister of Health in Ontario, Canada, developed the first device. It did what no other procedure had ever done before: decrease disability due to a herniated disc without surgery.   

    The first generation machines had some problems with patient comfort and specificity of treatment. In the late nineties, improvements were made, led by pioneering neurosurgeon and researcher, C. Norman Shealy, M.D. of Missouri, who holds nine patents for innovative discoveries.  Further technological advancements have eliminated the early challenges of decompression. The modern machines can be accurately and easily calibrated to treat specific spinal discs with great patient comfort.

Research Studies

    A 2003 study of 219 disc patients with decompression therapy was published in Orthopedic Technology Review.   A tremendous success rate and patient satisfaction was reported.  According to the study’s author, Dr. Gionis, “This study shows that disc disease—the most common cause of back pain, which costs the American health care system more than $50 billion annually, can be cost-effectively treated using spinal decompression.” Most exciting is the fact that the disc changes and pain relief were maintained 90 days after treatment for vast majority of the patients in their study.

     Although continued research studies are always desired, it seems that every year, more doctors realize that decompression should be the first course of action for disc problems. Physicians troubled by non-responsive cases of back pain, now have the option to direct patients to a facility that offers state-of-the art decompression technology; especially those who are not yet surgical cases. It’s such a safe and gentle procedure that it may even help those for whom surgery has failed to help.  There are several spinal decompression machines on the medical market that provide similar, outstanding results.  Dr. Foglia uses a machine called the DRX9000.

    “How Does Spinal Decompression Technology Work?”

    Imagine your spine as a stack of 24 blocks. In between each block is a shock-absorbing disc. Discs are sort of like a jelly donut. The outer layer called the annulus, is made of “tough stuff.” The inside called the nucleus, is a soft jelly-like substance.  If your spinal disc gets injured or torn, the jelly like substance on the inside can leak out. This is called a herniated disc. 

    If the outer part doesn’t tear the disc can bulge or protrude – without herniating. It’s like pressing down on a jelly doughnut, but not squeezing out the jelly. Disc bulges and herniations are a major cause of back and neck pain. It can cause compression or “pinching” of the delicate nerves coming out of the spine.  This can cause SCIATICA, which is pain radiating down your leg, caused by nerve irritation in the spine. It can also cause tingling or numbness In your foot.  When this happens due to a nerve compressed in the neck, it is often mistakenly diagnosed as “carpal tunnel syndrome.”

     What if the bulging disc material could be sucked back where it’s supposed to be? The inflamed tissues could heal, the pinching of the nerves would stop… and the pain would go away! In other words, if the DISC GETS BETTER, you’d get rid of the actual cause of your pain and other symptoms.  This approach can be in many cases, a wonderful alternative to covering up the pain with drugs or surgically removing the bad part of the disc with spinal surgery.  Non-surgical spinal decompression is designed to reverse the abnormal internal compression of bulging disc . If the disc bulge is reduced…you get out of pain (even if you’ve suffered for years – or even decades).

     Patients and doctors nationwide are even reporting that in many cases, non-surgical spinal decompression is helping people with degenerative discs (dried out and arthritic). Those people are now able to do activities they haven’t done in years… without pain.  

    Using decompression therapy, Dr. Foglia has helped patients (even many who failed to get relief through surgery) to return to a normal life, doing the things they used to do before back or neck pain crippled their lives.  Dr. Foglia knows that it is critical to treat the CAUSE of your pain and not continue to just cover up the symptoms.  In fact, once the cause of your pain is revealed to you... it's a lot easier to make an informed decision about how you want to go about treating the problem ... by weighing your options... based on EVIDENCE.

    And it really is true : Life gets a whole lot better when your problem is treated properly… and the pain finally goes away.   
 
“What Do Spinal Decompression Treatments Feel Like?”  

    It feels like a gentle, intermittent pull on your back or neck. Although the machine itself looks imposing, you’re not being “put on the rack.” It is no exaggeration to say that it’s so comfortable a procedure that many patients actually fall asleep during treatment sessions!  Dr. Foglia programs the amazing computer to perform your treatment according to your exam findings.  You lie on your back and the computer directs the machine to treat your disc and take the pressure off the nerves.  It does this by gently and gradually pulling the spinal vertebrae surrounding your injured disc.  It creates a sort of “vacuum suction” that helps draw the bulging disc material towards its normal position and stop the pain. Patients are amazed at how easy treatment is to have done.
 
“How Is This Different From Old Fashioned Traction Devices?”  

    Spinal traction is as “old as the hills.” Science has proven its results with back and neck pain due to bulging discs, to be minimal at best. There’s a big problem with conventional traction. Your muscles fight the pulling on the spine. Not only can this hurt, but it prevents the discs from getting help.  On the other hand, modern spinal decompression can overcome this problem with sophisticated computer technology and engineering.  The computer senses if your muscles are fighting the pulling effect on your spine. If your muscles are resisting, the computer tells the machine to “back off.” As soon as your muscles relax, the pull starts up again. This enables the discs to be affected. 

    Plus the treatment works in cycles—specifically controlled by the computer software and the doctor Foglia’s settings. It pulls gradually—a little more at a time until it reaches a programmed maximum pull. Then it decreases the pull slowly and gives you a rest. This feature is critical. It overcomes the tendency of your muscles to fight the pulling on the vertebrae. And that’s how DECOMPRESSION of the disc appears to be achieved.  This is not “old fashioned” traction! This is NOT the same as an “inversion table” or over-the-door neck traction, or any of the other various devices on the market.     

    Studies suggest that spinal decompression causes a pressure drop inside a bulging disc—a sort of suction or reversal of pressure. It apparently sucks the displaced disc material more towards the center of the disc and away from your nerves. This would explain the wonderful relief so many patients have achieved. If the disc bulge gets smaller, it takes the squeeze off the nerve. Then the healing can begin to the surrounding tissue to create long-term results.      

     Non-surgical spinal decompression is safe and easy
     No anesthesia
     No scalpels
     No Medication required   
 
    “How Long Are Treatments and How Many Do I Need?”

    It depends on your condition of course. On average patients undergo a total of 10-30 treatments (usually three sessions per week). Each lasts about 30 minutes on the machine. Additional therapies may be administered as your case requires.  Many patients notice significant relief after just a few treatments. The best part is that this isn’t something you have to do for the rest of your life. So there’s no big commitment necessary.  Results are typically long-lasting, and often permanent.   

    “What Do I Do Now?”  

    That’s easy.  If you’d like to find out if you are a candidate for decompression therapy, just give Dr. Foglia's office a call at: (631) 750-9290 to reserve an appointment for an evaluation.

    Click HERE to Make an Appointment to See Dr. Foglia

For a Detailed Look at Spinal Decompression,
Watch This Video Created by the Company that
Created This Pain-Relieving Technology




Research Studies and Papers on
Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Therapy

Click on Any of the Links Below to Instantly
Download the PDF File for These Research Papers

 
Vertebral Axial Decompression Therapy for Pain Associated with Herniated or Degenerated Discs or Facet Syndrome: An Outcome Study - Earl E. Gose, William K. Naguszewski and Robert Naguszewski Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL. USA *Coosa Medical Group, Rome, Georgia, USA

DISTRACTION TECHNIQUES FOR LUMBAR PAIN: Practical PAIN MANAGEMENT, Mar/Apr 2003