Spinal Decompression vs. Chiropractic Care: What’s the Difference?
If you are looking for help with back or neck discomfort, you may come across both chiropractic care and spinal decompression therapy.
Are they the same thing? Does one replace the other? And how do you know which one you need?
Although both may be considered for certain musculoskeletal concerns, spinal decompression and chiropractic care are different.
At Active Health Collective in Edmonton, the decision isn’t about choosing which treatment is “better.” It starts with understanding what is causing your symptoms and determining which approach may be appropriate for you.
Here is how the two differ.
What Is Chiropractic Care?
Chiropractic care focuses on assessing and treating concerns involving the musculoskeletal system, including joints, muscles, and related structures.
A chiropractic appointment begins with understanding what you are experiencing.
Your chiropractor may ask where you feel discomfort, when it started, which activities affect it, whether your symptoms travel into another area, and how the problem is affecting your daily life.
A physical assessment can then help your chiropractor better understand what may be contributing to the problem.
Treatment is individualized and may involve different approaches depending on the findings.
In other words, chiropractic care isn’t one specific technique. It is a broader approach to assessing and managing musculoskeletal concerns.
What Is Spinal Decompression Therapy?
Spinal decompression therapy is a specific treatment technique.
Non-surgical spinal decompression uses specialized equipment to apply controlled traction to the spine.
Depending on the equipment and the area being treated, the patient is positioned on a treatment table while the system applies and releases carefully controlled forces.
The purpose is to change the mechanical forces acting on the spine.
Unlike chiropractic care as a whole, spinal decompression is not an entire system of assessment and treatment.
It is one treatment tool that may be considered after an assessment.
So, What Is the Main Difference?
The simplest distinction is this:
Chiropractic care is a broader area of musculoskeletal care. Spinal decompression is a specific treatment technique.
A chiropractor may use different treatment methods depending on the patient’s condition and needs. For some patients, spinal decompression may be one of those options.
For others, it may not be appropriate or necessary.
That is why comparing spinal decompression with chiropractic care isn’t quite like comparing two versions of the same treatment.
What Is Spinal Decompression Used For?
Spinal decompression is often discussed in relation to certain conditions involving the spine and intervertebral discs.
Depending on the individual assessment, it may be considered for some people experiencing back or neck symptoms associated with particular spinal conditions.
But symptoms alone don’t tell the whole story.
Two people can both say, “My lower back hurts,” while having very different underlying problems.
One may have symptoms associated with a disc. Another may have a muscular or joint-related concern. Someone else may have symptoms requiring a different type of assessment or medical care.
That means back pain by itself isn’t enough to determine whether spinal decompression is appropriate.
Does Spinal Decompression Hurt?
Spinal decompression is generally intended to provide controlled traction rather than aggressive pulling.
Patients are positioned on the equipment, and treatment settings can be selected based on the area being addressed and the individual’s needs.
What a patient experiences can vary.
If something feels uncomfortable or causes an unexpected change in symptoms, you should tell your practitioner. Feedback during any form of treatment is important.
Is Spinal Decompression the Same as a Chiropractic Adjustment?
No.
A chiropractic adjustment and spinal decompression use different methods.
Spinal decompression involves traction applied through specialized equipment over a period of time.
A chiropractic adjustment is a manual treatment technique involving a controlled force applied to a joint.
They aren’t interchangeable simply because both may sometimes be used when treating spinal or musculoskeletal concerns.
And receiving chiropractic care doesn’t necessarily mean you will receive either one.
Your treatment should be based on your assessment.
Can Chiropractic Care and Spinal Decompression Be Used Together?
In some situations, they may be.
Because spinal decompression is a treatment technique rather than a separate healthcare discipline, it may form one part of a broader treatment plan.
A chiropractor may determine that decompression is appropriate alongside other treatment approaches.
In other situations, chiropractic treatment without decompression may make more sense.
And some patients may not be appropriate candidates for spinal decompression at all.
The key is that treatment should follow the assessment, rather than choosing a machine or technique first and trying to fit the patient to it.
What About Exercise and Rehabilitation?
Treatment in the clinic is sometimes only one part of addressing a musculoskeletal problem.
Depending on what is contributing to your symptoms, movement and exercise may also be important.
For example, a patient may need help gradually improving mobility, strength, movement control, or tolerance for everyday activities.
That is where kinesiology and rehabilitation may sometimes fit into a broader plan.
Again, this isn’t automatic. Receiving spinal decompression or chiropractic care doesn’t mean you necessarily require rehabilitation.
It simply gives the Active Health Collective team another option when movement-based care is appropriate.
Which Is Better for Back Pain: Chiropractic or Spinal Decompression?
This is probably the question many people really want answered.
But there isn’t one treatment that is best for every person with back pain.
“Back pain” describes a symptom, not a single diagnosis.
The right treatment depends on factors such as what structures may be involved, how the problem began, how long it has been present, whether symptoms travel into the leg or another area, your health history, and what is found during the assessment.
For one patient, spinal decompression may be considered.
For another, a different chiropractic treatment approach may make more sense.
Someone else may benefit primarily from rehabilitation or may need referral for further medical assessment.
The goal isn’t to choose the most impressive-sounding treatment.
It is to choose an appropriate one.
When Should Back or Neck Pain Be Assessed?
If pain is persistent, worsening, affecting your normal activities, or accompanied by other symptoms, it is worth having it properly assessed.
There are also circumstances in which back or neck symptoms require medical attention rather than routine musculoskeletal treatment.
For example, new or significant neurological symptoms, substantial weakness, changes in bowel or bladder function, significant trauma, or other concerning symptoms should be medically assessed promptly.
When you’re unsure, tell your healthcare provider exactly what you are experiencing rather than assuming it is simply a muscle or joint problem.
Spinal Decompression and Chiropractic Care at Active Health Collective
At Active Health Collective, we have several options for helping Edmonton patients with musculoskeletal concerns.
That doesn’t mean more treatment is always better.
Having chiropractic care, spinal decompression, massage therapy, and kinesiology and rehabilitation available within the clinic gives our practitioners different tools and areas of expertise to draw from.
The first step is figuring out what you actually need.
If you’re wondering whether spinal decompression or chiropractic care may be appropriate for your back or neck concern, an assessment can help determine a reasonable place to start.
Learn more about Spinal Decompression and Chiropractic Care at Active Health Collective, or contact our Edmonton clinic to book an appointment.
FAQs
Is spinal decompression the same as chiropractic care?
No. Chiropractic care is a broader area of musculoskeletal assessment and treatment. Spinal decompression is a specific treatment technique that uses controlled traction and specialized equipment.
Is spinal decompression the same as a chiropractic adjustment?
No. Spinal decompression uses equipment to apply controlled traction to the spine. A chiropractic adjustment is a manual technique involving a controlled force applied to a joint.
Can a chiropractor provide spinal decompression therapy?
Spinal decompression may be offered within a chiropractic clinic when the practitioner has appropriate equipment and determines that the treatment is suitable for the patient. Active Health Collective offers spinal decompression as one of its treatment options in Edmonton.
Is spinal decompression better than chiropractic care for back pain?
Neither approach is universally better for back pain. Back pain can have different causes, so an assessment is needed to determine what treatment may be appropriate for the individual.
Do I need an assessment before spinal decompression?
An assessment is important because spinal decompression isn’t appropriate for every person or every type of back or neck concern. Your practitioner needs to understand your symptoms and relevant health history before recommending treatment.