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Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression
Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression
NON SURGICAL
www.NoSplneSurgery.com
115 River Rd, Bldg 10, 3rd Floor Edgewater, New Jersey 07020
Phone: 201-345-3445 www.WaterfrontSpineRehab.com
nal nerves exit the spinal canal between the vertebrae and unite as they move down through the
pelvis. Some of these spinal nerves join to become
the sciatic nerves, which travel down through the
buttocks, along the backs and sides of the thighs
and calves, and into the feet.
With such a dense network of nerves traveling
throughout the back, it is easy to see how great discomfort may be caused by a slight upset in the delicate architecture of the spine. Accidents and injury
may damage discs and vertebrae, putting pressure
on nerves. This results in tingling, numbness, muscle
weakness, or even sharp, shooting pain.
Shown in the illustration below are some of the more
common diagnoses for back pain that will be covered at length in the coming pages.
Normal Disc
Bulging Disc
Degenerated Disc
Herniated Disc
Facet Syndrome
Degenerative
Disc Disease
(with bone spurs)
having major back pain. I am an active 72-yearold and regularly exercise. My major hobby is
ballroom dancing. I was prescribed a muscle
relaxant for the pain so I could continue my
activities. When the pain returned, despite
taking medication, I had an epidural Injection.
It was not successful in eliminating my back
pain. In fact, I developed a spinal headache
and was bedridden for three weeks.
I then tried physical therapy, which was only
moderately successful at reducing the pain, so
extruded
nucleus
I resumed
taking
thepulposus
muscle relaxants in order
reenters
disc
wall
to continue my regular activities. Eventually I
spoke with a representative of the Non Surgical
Spine Care Center.
Incorrect Lifting
Correct Lifting
Falls
Work Injury
Obesity
Pregnancy
spinal canal
nerve root
spinal cord
annulus fibrosus
nucleus pulposus
Healthy
Bulging
Herniated
Spinal
Stenosis
Sciatica Sciatica,
and Spinal
Stenosis
What Is Sciatica?
L1
L1 n.
L2
L2 n.
L3
L4
L3 n.
L5
L4 n.
S1
L5 n.
S1 n.
nerve irritation
due to stenosis
115 River Rd, Bldg 10, 3rd Floor Edgewater, New Jersey 07020
Phone: 201-345-3445 www.WaterfrontSpineRehab.com
Degenerative
Disc Disease
Sciatica,
Spinal
Stenosis
Degenerative
Disc
Disease
What Is Degenerative Disc Disease?
Degenerative disc disease is not technically a disease, but rather a state of disc dehydration and
deterioration due to a combination of cumulative
trauma, poor dietary and exercise habits, and aging. As discs degenerate they become more prone
to failure from physical stress, which may tear disc
fibers and result in more complications, such as osteoarthritis, disc bulging, disc herniation, and stenosis.
Many spine experts conclude that the vacuum of negative pressure created within the disc by Non-Surgical
Spinal Decompression helps the disc to attract moisture from surrounding tissue, rehydrating and revitalizing thinning and torn degenerated discs.
Contributing Factors to
Spinal Injury and Disease
Age:
Exercise:
Vertebral
Facet
Joints
Diet:
A healthy diet
with appropriate
supplementation will help
ensure that your bones
and tissues are receiving
proper nutrients.
Activities:
Maintain an awareness
of what your body can
handle. Falls or reckless
exertions on the body,
such as lifting heavy
objects, can lead to severe
spinal injuries. Be smart!
1. M.A. Adams, W.C. Hutton The effect of posture on the role
of the apophysial joints in resisting intervertebral forces.
Journal Bone Joint Surgery Br. 1980; 62:385862.
2. Dunlop RB, Adams MA, Hutton WC. Disc space narrowing
and the lumbar facet joints. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1984;
66:706-10.
www.mediawestpublications.com
Page 11
115 River Rd, Bldg 10, 3rd Floor Edgewater, New Jersey 07020
Phone: 201-345-3445 www.WaterfrontSpineRehab.com
Ne rve Ro ots
Cervical Vertebrae
caused by herniated d iscs are at the levels ofC Sn.-C 7n. {Mops vory).
Cervical Radiculopathy
Nerve damage caused by severe pressure to the cervical nerve roots is known as Cervical Radiculopathy
(ra -dik-u-lop'-a-thee). Common causes include disc
bulging or herniation, degenerative disc disease,
spinal stenosis, ost eoarthritis, and facet syndrome.
Symptoms are pain, numbness, tingling, and/or muscle weakness in the regions of the shoulders, arms,
hands, or fingers. While an X-ray or MRI can help t o
rule out a serious injury, a detailed medical history
and physical exam can help your doctor correctly
determine th e precise cause of the symptoms.
Page 12
FRONT
BACK
---
--
---
--
__ .,,..._.__, _ . . . . . .,
Nearly 40% of whiplash injuries develop into degenerative disc disease within 5 to 10 years. 3 Chronic pain from
whiplash is commonly due to facet and/or d isc damage.
Many spinal care experts are finding Non-Surgical Cervical
Decompression to be a safe and effective treatment for
whiplash symptoms that may include:
Neck pain and stiffness )o- Headache )o- Low back pain
)o- Upper extremity pain, weakness, and numbness
)o- Thoracic outlet syndrome )o- Carpal tunnel syndrome
)o-
115 River Rd, Bldg 10, 3rd Floor Edgewater, New Jersey 07020
Phone: 201-345-3445 www.WaterfrontSpineRehab.com
Degenerative
Disc Disease
Spinal Stenosis
How SpinalSciatica,
Decompression
Works
High intradiscal pressures cause discs
to bulge out and press painfully
on nerve roots. They also make for
a compressed, anaerobic environment unsuitable for healing. NonSurgical Spinal Decompression (NSSD)
produces negative pressures within the
disc, which experts believe create a vacuum effect that draws in nutrients and fluids
to promote the repair of injured discs and
surrounding tissues. This vacuum has
also been shown to aid in the retraction of escaped cushioning gel
from herniated discs.
Decompression
Normal Traction
DecompressionGoes
GoesBeyond
B
With traction, weights are steadily added to the end
of the traction bed, which, in turn, adds tension to
a harness secured around the patients pelvis,
lengthening the spine. The intention is to
relieve pressure, but the linear force
can instead produce spasming,
incorrect lifting
which may lead to greater injury.
standing
Normally, pulls exerted on the spine trigger sensory receptors in the back to tighten
the muscles surrounding the vertebrae and
discs in an effort to protect them from injury
a mechanism in the body known as the proWhile traction, physical therapy,
prioceptor response. NSSD bypasses this
and manipulation may reduce
response by slowly pulling on the spine
disc pressures to as low as 40 mm
and relaxing the back over an exHg, only NSSD has been shown to traction, physical therapy,
manual manipulation
160
tended period of time, allowing
achieve negative pressures within the
the spine to be repositioned
spine. It has been clinically proven that
without tension and without
NSSD creates negative pressures as low
3
setting off the lock down proas -160 mm Hg within the injured disc
Spinal Decompression
prioceptor response.
during the treatment session!
1.
2.
3.
4.
Alf Nachemson, MD, PhD, The Load on Lumbar Discs in Different Positions of the Body. Clinical Orthopaedics. 45, 107122, 1966.
G.B. Andersson, A.B. Schultz, Alf Nachemson, MD PhD, Intervertebral Disc Pressures During Traction, Scandinavian Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, Supplement 9: 8891, 1983.
Gustavo Ramos, MD; William Martin, MD, Effects of Vertebral Axial Decompression on Intradiscal Pressure, Journal of Neurosurgery, 81(3), 1994.
C. Norman Shealy, MD, PhD; Vera Borgmeyer, RN, MA. Decompression, Reduction, and Stabilization of the Lumbar Spine: A Cost Effective Treatment for Lumbosacral Pain. American Journal of Pain
Management. Vol. 7, No. 2. April 1997. (See page 21 for more details).
Page 14
Degenerative
Disc Disease
Sciatica,
Spinal Stenosis
The Key to Spinal
Decompression
Formula for Relief
Tension
Logarithmic Ramp Up
Hold
During NSSD, tension slowly mounts, lengthening the spine. Up to one-half of the patients body weight, plus
as much as 25 pounds of tension, can be exerted directly on injured discsall without triggering the guarding proprioceptor response. This is where spinal pressures drop and decompression actually occurs. After a
holding period, tension is slowly decreased and the spine is gradually retracted. This cycle is repeated several
times throughout a treatment session. Similar to the image shown above, the differing amounts of tension
delivered over the course of a session can be graphed on a chart to produce a logarithmic curve.
1. Michael Schuenke, MD, PhD; Erik Shulte, MD; Udo Schumacher, MD, Thieme Atlas of Anatomy. Germany: Georg Thieme Verlag, 2006.
115 River Rd, Bldg 10, 3rd Floor Edgewater, New Jersey 07020
Phone: 201-345-3445 www.WaterfrontSpineRehab.com
Disc Disease
Sciatica,
Spinal
Stenosis
IsDegenerative
Spinal Decompression
Right
for Me?
C1
C7
T1
T2
T3
T4
O R A C I C ( T 1 T 1 2 )
You have rare conditions such as certain spinal infections, or pelvic or abdominal cancer.
T6
T10
T8
T9
L1
5)
L2
L3
L4
L5
UM (S1S5)
S3
S4
S5
CR
S1
S2
SA
LU M B A R ( L 1 L
T7
T12
T11
T5
TH
VICAL (C1C7)
CER
C2
C3
C4
C5
C6
Coccyx (Tailbone)
Degenerative
DiscCourse
Disease
Spinal
Stenosis
Completing Sciatica,
Your
of Therapy
Completing your course of Non-Surgical Spinal
Decompression (NSSD), as determined by your
doctor, requires a commitment to feeling good again.
The time needed to complete a treatment course
varies according to the severity of your condition.
Each session prescribed is needed to maintain a
fully hydrated and oxygen-rich environment for the
damaged disc. The same principles apply for those
with degenerative disc disease.
Visible Progress!
After as little as nine treatments, the injured disc
wall may have almost completely healed. However, a
small fissure remains. This fissure still requires more
sessions of NSSD in order to properly mend itself.
Continuing on with the NSSD protocol will allow for
an enriched disc environment to speed the bodys
natural healing mechanism. The last remaining NSSD
sessions will enable the disc to heal completely.
nucleus pulposus
annulus fibrosus
Note: These artistic renderings offer simplistic explanations of complex physiological processes.
Page 17
Degenerative
Disc Disease
Sciatica,
Spinal Stenosis
Before Surgery,
Consider
This!
While back surgery may sometimes be the only
solution, many medical professionals and surgeons
themselves feel strongly that every noninvasive option should be explored before turning to surgery.
Although advances in surgery have made many procedures less invasive and more effective, surgery does
come with inherent risks. With high costs, lengthy
recovery time, and possible infection, one should consider all options before making a decision about surgery.
1. Although surgical hardware is a contraindication for Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression, post-surgical patients with low
back hardware may qualify for cervical treatment, and patients
that have had surgery with hardware in the cervical area may
qualify for lumbar treatment. This is to be determined on an
individual basis.
Degenerative
Disc Without
Disease
Sciatica,
SpinalSurgery
Stenosis
Dramatic Results
Case Study: Severe Herniated Disc
Two years ago, Terence M. ruptured a disc while
lifting a box from the trunk of his car. As a result,
he lost the use of his right leg and suffered relentless, excruciating pain. Desperate for relief, he
went to see Harvey Kleinberg, DO, an Osteopathic
Physician and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Specialist for over 35 years. Dr. Kleinberg used
Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Therapy to alleviate Terences pain and restore his lost function.
When patients have injuries, you want to make them
feel better as quickly as possible, and that is what Spinal Decompression Therapy is capable of doing for
many patients, Dr. Kleinberg said.
Dr. Kleinberg prescribed a treatment plan of three
30-minute sessions a week, which eventually
tapered off as the pain began to subside. Patients
usually undergo about 20 to 25 treatments, and
easy maintenance can keep people from ever
having a repeat injury again.
L5
L5
S1
S1
115 River Rd, Bldg 10, 3rd Floor Edgewater, New Jersey 07020
Phone: 201-345-3445 www.WaterfrontSpineRehab.com
OTC pain drugs should be taken at the lowest effective dose for no more than 10 days.2
Page 20
*
Degenerative
Discand
Disease
Sciatica,
Spinal
Stenosis
Clinical Studies
Publications
American Journal of Pain Management:
Long-term
Effect Analysis of IDD THERAPY ** in Low Back Pain: A Retrospective
Clinical Pilot Study. July 2005. Vol. 15, No. 3. C. Norman Shealy, MD,
PhD; Nirman Koladia, MD; Merrill M. Wesemann, MD.
Outcome: Of 24 study participants, each reported consistent pain relief
and continual improvement of symptoms one year later. Improvement in
pain continued after the treatment sessions were completed.
Pre-Treatment MRI
Post-Treatment MRI
Cost Effective Treatment for Lumbosacral Pain. April 1997. Vol. 7, No. 2. C. Norman Shealy, MD, PhD; Vera Borgmeyer, RN, MA.
Outcome: The authors compared the pain-relieving results of traditional mechanical traction (14 patients) with a decompression device (25 patients). The decompression system gave good to excellent relief in 86% of patients with ruptured discs and
75% of those with facet arthrosis. The traction yielded no good to excellent results with ruptured discs and only 50% good
to excellent results in patients with facet arthrosis.
Journal of Neurosurgery: Effects of Vertebral Axial Decompression on Intradiscal Pressure. September 1994. Vol. 81,
Page 21
115 River Rd, Bldg 10, 3rd Floor Edgewater, New Jersey 07020
Phone: 201-345-3445 www.WaterfrontSpineRehab.com
Degenerative
DiscSpinal
ease Stenosis
Sciatica,
I have had back problems for the last 30 years. I was eventually
diagnosed with spinal arthritis, spinal stenosis, and other disc problems.
Working was difficult and walking even more so. I was told that it was not a
matter of if I got back surgery, but when. I decided to look into an alternative
and contacted the Non Surgical Spine Care Center. I also looked at two other
programs that offered similar procedures. I soon became convinced that
the Non Surgical Spine Care Center offered the most complete, up-to-date,
professional, and caring program and began Non-Surgical Decompression. I required quite a
few visits (I think somewhere around 50) and in the beginning months at times left as bad or
worse than before, but I spoke to the doctors and was assured I was progressing. So, I stayed
with it and today, I live a completely different life. No more ice packs every evening. I can walk
wherever I want and can go up and down stairsall without pain. I work full time; I have taken
up golf and even do yoga and Pilates all thanks to this procedure. Judy V.
I researched alternatives and found the Non Surgical Spine Care Center. I
commenced treatment, and three months later I was pain free. I am presently in the Rehydration
Phase of treatment and periodically return for minimal treatment to ensure the condition does not
reoccur. I am truly grateful to Dr. Schleider and the staff in the kindly and professional manner in which
I have been treated during the process. The results were truly remarkable. If Dr. Schleider deems you
to be a candidate for this therapy, I recommend and urge that you undertake this therapy prior to
acceding to any kind of orthopedic surgery, if such a choice is medically an option. Mark B.
I have suffered for most of my adult life from back and sciatic
nerve pain. After years of chiropractic treatments, physical therapy, epidurals, pain
medication, and two back surgeries, I still could not find long term relief from
debilitating pain. At 67 and getting ready for retirement, I faced the possibility of
spinal fusion surgery, or life in a wheelchair. Unwilling to accept either option, I
investigated alternative solutions.
My analysis led me to Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression therapy and I made
the decision to pursue this option. I chose the Non Surgical Spine Care Center based on my
research and a visit to their office. After about five months, the pain that was ruining my life
steadily decreased and is now gone. Once again I am physically active and am able to enjoy my
favorite pastime of golf. The doctors and staff at the Non Surgical Spine Care Center helped to
relieve my pain and return my quality of life. I would highly recommend this procedure and facility
to those whose situation is similar to mine. Richard L.
714-546-3472
18055 Bushard Street Fountain Valley, CA 92708
www.NoSpineSurgery.com
Other NSSCC Locations:
San Diego-Mission Valley: 2555 Camino del Rio S, Suite 201, San Diego, CA 92108 619-283-7283
San Francisco Bay Area: 1811 Santa Rita Rd., Suite 118, Pleasanton, CA 94566 925-484-3472
Seattle Area: 1240 116th Ave NE, Suite 101, Bellevue, WA 98004 435-455-3472
The testimonials given in this brochure are from actual patients who have undergone Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Therapy. These testimonials
have been provided by a consortium of practitioners utilizing Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Therapy. Therefore, the testimonials appearing in this
report may or may not be from the specific doctor(s)/office(s) providing this report. Testimonials may have been edited for length and clarity. To protect
patient privacy, last names have been removed and models photographs substituted. Individual patient results may vary.
Document No. GEN-LC-24P-07-10