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http://www.accentonhealth.org/decompression.html
Just one link about decompression, a traction machine that stretches the spine, above:

I'm currently trying a "decompression" table for my back pain. It will cost me about $2,500 if I complete the next 18 sessions (not covered by insurance, although other therapy here is covered). I have degenerative discs in my lower back, a bulge in one of the lower discs, spinal stenosis, and spinal arthritis to some extent. I've had a good deal of pain, on and off, since February 3, when my back went out and had me walking sideways for 3 weeks... after which I had horrible sciatica down my right leg for months, and I'm still aching every day, although much better than I was. The last few weeks haven't been quite as bad, but I hurt. I also still have days when I really feel like I have to lay down. Anyone here try this type of therapy? It will be combined with massage, chiropractic, and physical therapy.

My collar bone has healed since my fall last December, but the back is still messed up. I hear popping now and then, and the muscles still seems to spasm now and then, although very lightly compared to what I was experiencing. I think about a profession other than chimney sweeping too, although I did not finish my last year of college, so this is what I know. Maybe I should finish the degree, but I find that most people hate their jobs, so maybe I should just hire someone to do the labor, while I am on every job selling my chimney wares and observing. I may even be able to do more work, and have less stress physically and mentally. Feel free to share your thoughts on this as well. I realize their is no "perfect job" or career, and I am tied to my possessions and the bills that come with them, so I may continue on with what I do. I just fear that I may mess my back up worse if I continue solo, and I want to be healthy for many reasons, primary one being that I have a nine month old little boy who needs a father to take care of him. I'm rambling.... I guess that's all for now.

After years away from chiropractic care, I'm going back. They are using that technique on me as well (along with other techniques). It seems to help (but so did more traditional chiropractic techniques in earlier visits).

The $2,500 seems mighty steep though. I have good insurance so I don't know what the "real" cost is. But I get electrical stimulation, the "rack" as I call it plus "manipulation" (snap, crackle, pop) and I have a $15 co-pay per visit.

Good luck, GP, back pain is pretty well as debilitating as it gets.

I used to have anti-gravity boots, you know, the ones you hang upside down from a bar. Well, you could pass out after not so long, and it has been a long time(20years) since I had those contraptions.

Gary,

(HOLY PRICE TAG BATMAN!) you have got to be joking


i never needed traction, but i used to do it anyway, when i worked in the physical therapy department. i loved the feeling of strecthing. it was a great way to relax during lunch. the people who "needed" it didn't seem to like it as much as i did.

Don't know what to tell you as far as the career goes. Small business, self-employment is tough, no doubt about it.

best wishes for your health, career and family

iowabeakster wrote:
(HOLY PRICE TAG BATMAN!) you have got to be joking

I wish I was. I'm wondering if I should just buy my own inversion machine, as it would be cheaper. Chiropractors are sales people, that's for sure, and supposedly this machine helps better than 86% of the people who try it, but he didn't quite sell me on whether or not it would help me. Maybe he's just being honest, and does not want to promise me something that may not happen. If this works, however, it will certainly be worth the money. This machine is supposed to pull more fluid into the disc, decrease disc bulging, etc.

Will I stick with it? I have not made up my mind yet. Speaking of my mind, I find it entirely difficult to focus on anything while this part of my life plays out. I really am mortal. Damn.

Speaking of my mind, I find it entirely difficult to focus on anything while this part of my life plays out. I really am mortal. Damn.

hang in there Gary (no i am not thinking gravity boots, although the thought of you hanging from a tree with your face tomato red is fun!)

I'm picking one of these up tomorrow. Well, maybe I'll have someone else "pick it up", but I'll use it. Dicks has 'em for $1099.

Remember, the website for Dicks Sporing Goods is http://www.dickssportinggoods.com . Do not type in http://www.dicks.com, as you will not be directed to a web site that sells exercise equipment. My wife learned that last year. Quite funny, really.

gary,

find out what decompression table it is. some of them are inferior and if you're shelling out the big bucks, you should have the creme de la creme.

decompression is used most often for severe herniations that don't respond to care. it is effective as well on some degenerative cases.

However, I professionally would never recommend someone to decompression without giving traditional chiropractic a go first. Decompression is a last resort in our profession and not necessary in many cases.

$125 a visit is sort of the going rate.

i just got over a severe case of radiculopathy that was so bad i wanted to die. we were able to get past it without the use of decompression.

contact me if you have any questions. doctor at smithtownwellness dot net

Thank you, Scott. I've decided to go without the decompression machine for now, and bought a more affordable traction table. I'm doing mild workouts, most of it done at the chiropractic center, with their weight machines.

My sciatica has slowly been going away, things are better there. My muscles in my lower back are still extremely tight sometimes, however, and they still feel weak. And they still hurt. I sometimes feel some burning, most of the time it is just an incredibly bad ache. I've had episodes before, but never this bad. I've been in this situation since February 3rd of this year, and had trouble walking for well over a month.

I've got an ab machine here at home. when I use it, my back "pops" in the same spot over and over. It's not just one pop, then I'm loose. Every crunch that I do causes a pop, on my right side of my spine. I can also recreate this popping by putting my right leg out to the side, and bring it back down to the floor. Same thing, I can pop it repeatedly. The popping does not hurt, but I'm wondering just how dangerous this is. Any ideas?

I just read up on radiculopathy. Sounds as horrible as what I had. I too had moments where I thought death was a better option. I'm glad you got through it. How long did it take?

I'm quite sure I had a sprain, rather than a strain, on February 3rd. I must have torn some ligaments. Might this be better than a 6 months recovery? I've read that most people recover within 3 months or less, but I've got a number of issues keeping things inflamed back there.

EDIT:

My apologies for asking you all what I should do with my career, and trying to get you to figure out what is wrong with my back. Not questions you can answer.

Chiropractor knows that some of these bad ligament stretching sprains can take 6 to 8 months before I really feel close to normal again. This was good to hear, as I can see the probability of feeling better at some point in the future. I really am fortunate that this happened in my slower work season. If this happened in September, I'd be moving my family into my mother's basement.