drx9000 vs inversion vs surgery

[Cuso]

hello everyone, i havent posted here in quite a while but i needed some input on new treatment. My back is shot and i know that i need another procedure of some kind for my lumbar but i want to avoid invasive surgery. I have an inversion table but havent been using it consistently. I went to a spine center that has a DRX 9000 decompression machine. The doctor said he could help me but then at the last second told me it isnt covered under insurance and will cost me 5400 for the whole treatment. Has anybody had success with either of these 2 methods for decompression and rehydration dessicated discs???????

[Mariaa]

Whether your disc rehydrates or is probably going to depend on how degenerated it is.

My husband wanted me to check out the literature on the DRX9000 .

The information I was sent quotes studies but has no acutal reference to them that can be checked, as well as the material sent seems so unprofessional.

I also think there are people's spines that can be decompressed and those that can't in terms on what is going on with the individual spine.

What do your MRI and other reports show? What course of conservative action was advised?

Is this Spine Center going to make you sign a form that releases them from liability should there be further damage by the use of the DRX9000?

Good that you're checking this information out before forking out the $$ to do it.. I don't see it as a viable option for my spine as the involved discs are nearly fibrotic so there's no way to hydrate or at least highly doubtful thru decompression machine I would imagine...

Cuso,

I went through 20 treatments on the DRX 9000 last summer. At that time, I was still a neophyte on this whole back pain thing. I had gone through some active PT, had ESI and had a major setback in May. After a month, I found the DRX and paid out of pocket at a chiropractor for $3000. It really did not do anything for me in my opinion. It may have actually set me back a while. My research since has showed that this may work better for sciatica or herniated disc than for true axial back pain that may be coming from discs or facets. My MRI shows Mild DDD at 2 or three levels and none of the spine surgeons I had seen up until then mentioned discogenc pain due to the fact I have decent disc height etc. remaining. They were focusing on the contained bulge at 5/1 that I have. It was not until the fall and more research on my part that I found my pain is most likely dicogenic. If I had known this at the time, I still probably would have tried the DRX as I was trying anything to get better. Since, I have spent probably $3000 more out or my own pocket going through Rolfing, more chiropractic, and aggressive stretching and PT. IT is paying off as my pain is constant, but probably at 2 - 3 level rather than a 4 -5 level. I also had one major relapse (muscle spasm, down for a day or two) and recoved back to baseline pain levels after about 10 days. Much better than this past spring and summer which took much longer. Overall, I am probably going to need some form of invasive surgery (most likely ADR) but am going to see how this summer goes as I am probably as low on the pain scale as I have been in several months.

Sorry to ramble, but it's rare that I can actually comment on something here since I did do the DRX. Feel free to e-mail me with any questions.

Craig

[Harrison]

Cuso, Maria nailed it -- I believe it depends on the health of your disc. We've talked about this topic before, but everyone uses different terminology to describe spinal decompression; as there are different techniques. Here are some techniques that are common for "traction:"

- chin-ups
- hanging on the chin up bar
- swimming (risky business for many people)
- computer-controlled traction, as mentioned
- sleeping (we are taller in the morning, eh?)

Here are the previous topics I think you will find helpful.
______________________________________________

DRX9000?

http://www.adrsupport.org/private-cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cg...;f=3;t=000448#000000


Has anyone tried mechanical spine decompression?

http://www.adrsupport.org/private-cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cg...;f=2;t=000236#000002


Intervertebral Disc Decompression

http://www.adrsupport.org/private-cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cg...;f=2;t=000081#000008

Back Stretcher

http://www.adrsupport.org/private-cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cg...;f=2;t=000033#000000


Inversion Tables, Continued...

http://www.adrsupport.org/private-cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cg...;f=3;t=000645#000000

Table after ADR

http://www.adrsupport.org/private-cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cg...;f=1;t=000841#000000

[Cuso]

you guys are the best. So helpful. Thanks. I am going to get on a steady routine withmy inversion table-see if that does anything. I am also starting to swim regulary. I am anxiously awaiting the good feeling of healing pain. who know. but i aint goin under a knife!!! F**** doctors. i have granular tissue out the wazzoo.

[Harrison]

Cuso, watch the swimming stroke...some folks with spine issues do not do well with twisting strokes such as the crawl. But you've heard it before, everyone is different!

[Mariaa]

Cuso,
You mentioned "granular tissue" so are you talking about scar tissue in your spinal region?

I have scar tissue at the rt.S1 nerve root and I too am fearful of more scar tissue building up with more surgery, particularly more invasive surgery..

I agree if you're able to avoid the knife, do so by all means, however, be careful because sometimes we wait and wait and try to either get better on our own or wait for better and better technology, meanwhile the spine continues down it's degenerative path if going that route and some things just get to the point where the surgery that may have been an option to us at one point, will no longer be because of the advanced degenerative status..

I surely hope that you can avoid surgery, altho I hope if you have to have it, it will be the least invasive possible~

take care, Maria

[Cuso]

well the thing is, i already lost 2" of my calf muscle, id say a solid 70 percent of my rt foot inside muscle (that puches down on the ground) I have a ton of scar tissue at 4/5/s1 and DDD (im sure by now) up to L2. In fact the last epidural i tried last ovtober failed to penetrate the scra tissue then traveled into my legs and gave me terrible striae.. BUT, Im young, strong, and i can tolerate ALOT of pain and i neeeed to do everything in my power to avoid the knife. My career is just getting started, surgery it doesnt fit into my life. I need some stem cells stat!!

Maria you are so right-i am waiting for better technology, and i know they're on the verge of soooomething that will help. I just hope it's soon. I guess thats all we have right!?

you guys can see my fall that started it it all on you tube
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MyqCDv9OShM


DDD L3/4/5
hemilaminectomy L4/5/S1.. 4/20/05
-currently all sorts of messed up.