Technology offers hope for back pain

Spinal Aid Centers of America has announced the opening of a new franchise in Thousand Oaks for chronic back pain sufferers.

The Spinal Aid Center offers a relatively new technology, called nonsurgical spinal decompression, as a treatment for sufferers of severe, chronic back pain.

Dr. Frank J. Mrazeck of the center said he added the treatment to his facility to offer the option for his patients who thought pills and surgery were their only option to relieve pain.

Nonsurgical spinal decompression is a medical technique in the nondrug, nonsurgical approach to chronic back pain that works, according to the American Journal of Pain Management. The journal reported a favorable relief rate among patients suffering from herniated discs who had undergone decompression.

In many cases of back pain, bulging or herniated disc material is often the culprit. The bulging material puts pressure on the nerves and creates pain that can travel into the buttocks and down the legs.

Nonsurgical decompression relieves pain by stretching the spine, effectively creating a vacuum that draws the bulging and herniated disc material back into place. As the pressure decreases, so does the pain.

Unlike surgery, there is no recovery period for the procedure. Patients may go home or return to nonstrenuous activities after their treatment. The cost is less than one-tenth the cost of back surgery.

The Spinal Aid Center is at 2920 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Ste. C, Thousand Oaks. For more information or an appointment, call (805) 230-3837 or visit www.spinalaid.com.