Spinal Decompression

Spinal decompression is a non-surgical, motorized traction therapy delivered on a specialized table. At Calloway Chiropractic, it is performed on the DTS 5000 decompression system, a computer-controlled table that applies precise, measured axial traction (a gentle lengthening pull along the line of the spine) according to a programmed cycle.

Unlike old-fashioned constant traction, modern decompression uses a controlled, oscillating pull-and-release pattern. The computer ramps tension on and off in a smooth wave, which helps the spinal muscles relax and avoid guarding so the targeted segment can actually be distracted rather than the body simply bracing against the pull.

It is a conservative option that aims to address the mechanical source of certain back and neck problems, particularly disc-related pain, without injections or surgery. The intent is to create the conditions for an injured disc to recover and to take pressure off compressed nerves.

The central goal of decompression is to create negative intradiscal pressure, a slight vacuum effect inside the disc. When the table gently distracts the vertebrae above and below a disc, the pressure inside that disc can drop below normal. This negative pressure is thought to encourage the displaced inner disc material of a bulge or herniation to draw back toward center, away from the nerve it is irritating.

That same decompression can reduce the mechanical pinch on nearby spinal nerve roots, which is the direct source of radiating pain such as sciatica. Relieving the compression at the root reduces the irritation that drives leg or arm symptoms.

The lowered pressure also improves the disc's ability to exchange fluid. Discs have a poor direct blood supply and rely on a pumping action to draw in water, oxygen, and nutrients. The pull-and-release cycle of decompression acts like a pump, rehydrating the disc and supporting its repair environment.

Finally, by reducing nociceptive (pain) and abnormal proprioceptive signaling from an irritated segment, decompression can quiet the protective muscle spasm and altered nervous-system input that often accompany disc injury, supporting the structural correction Dr. Calloway provides with chiropractic care.

Spinal decompression is primarily for disc-related and nerve-compression conditions: lumbar or cervical disc herniation and bulges, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, sciatica, and certain cases of facet-related and chronic mechanical back or neck pain. It is especially considered for patients with radiating pain, numbness, or tingling into a limb.

It is a good candidate therapy for people who want to exhaust conservative options before considering injections or surgery. Not every back problem is disc-driven, so Dr. Calloway evaluates your history, examination, and imaging to confirm decompression is appropriate before starting.

For a session, you lie on the DTS 5000 table and are fitted with a padded harness around the pelvis and trunk (or a cervical cradle for neck decompression). The table is then programmed for your specific spinal level and tolerance, and it applies a slow, rhythmic stretch. Most patients find the sensation relaxing; you should feel a gentle pull and easing, never a sharp or forceful yank.

A typical session lasts roughly fifteen to twenty minutes, during which the table cycles through its pull-and-release pattern. There is no anesthesia and no downtime, and many people describe the time on the table as comfortable enough to relax completely.

Decompression works cumulatively, so it is delivered as a series of sessions over several weeks rather than a single treatment, often combined with chiropractic adjustments, supportive exercise, and sometimes SoftWave therapy. Dr. Calloway lays out the recommended number and frequency of sessions after reviewing your case.