Spinal Decompression Therapy: The Non-Surgical Solution for Herniated Discs
Dr. Swapnagandhi
Human Movement Specialist, Physiotherapist
If you have been told you have a herniated disc, bulging disc, or degenerative disc disease, you have probably been offered two options: painkillers or surgery. At DakshinRehab in Moosapet, Hyderabad, we offer a third option that most patients never hear about — Chattanooga DTS spinal decompression therapy. This FDA-cleared, computer-controlled system creates negative pressure within the damaged disc, encouraging herniated material to retract and promoting natural disc healing. It is the gold standard in non-surgical spine treatment, and we are one of the very few clinics in Hyderabad equipped with this technology.
How Spinal Discs Get Damaged — Understanding the Problem: Your spinal discs are gel-filled cushions between each vertebra that absorb shock, allow spinal movement, and maintain spacing for nerve roots to exit the spine. When a disc herniates, the gel-like nucleus pushes through a weakened outer wall and presses on nearby nerve roots — causing pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness that can radiate into the arm (cervical disc) or leg (lumbar disc, producing sciatica). Bulging discs represent an earlier stage where the disc wall deforms outward but has not ruptured. Degenerative disc disease involves progressive loss of disc height and hydration over time. All three conditions share a common mechanism: the disc is under excessive mechanical pressure, and that pressure needs to be reversed for healing to occur.
The Science Behind Spinal Decompression: Unlike traditional traction — which applies a constant pull and triggers protective muscle spasm that actually prevents decompression — the Chattanooga DTS system uses precisely calibrated, oscillating cycles of distraction and relaxation. Here is what happens during a session. The system targets the specific spinal segment (identified through MRI and clinical assessment) and applies a controlled distractive force that gradually separates the vertebrae above and below the damaged disc. This separation creates negative intradiscal pressure — essentially a vacuum effect inside the disc. The negative pressure produces two critical therapeutic effects. First, it creates a 'suction' that encourages the herniated nuclear material to retract back toward the centre of the disc, reducing nerve compression. Second, the pressure differential draws oxygen, water, and nutrient-rich fluids into the disc — a dehydrated, nutrient-starved disc cannot heal itself, and decompression reverses this deficit.
What a Treatment Session Looks Like: Each spinal decompression session at DakshinRehab lasts approximately 25–35 minutes. You lie comfortably on the DTS table, secured with a pelvic harness. The physiotherapist programs the exact spinal level, distraction force, and oscillation pattern based on your MRI findings and clinical presentation. The system then cycles through gradual pull-and-release phases — you may feel a gentle stretching sensation, but the treatment should not be painful. Most patients find it quite comfortable and some even fall asleep during sessions. A typical treatment course involves 15–20 sessions over 5–7 weeks, combined with our complementary therapies.
Why Decompression Alone Is Not Enough — Our Multi-Modal Approach
At DakshinRehab, spinal decompression is the foundation of disc treatment, but it is never the only component. We combine it with 3-Tesla EMTT to accelerate nerve healing and reduce inflammation around the compressed nerve root. TECAR therapy provides deep tissue healing support that enhances disc recovery. Redcord Neurac suspension therapy retrains the deep spinal stabilisers (multifidus, transversus abdominis) that protect the disc from re-herniation once mechanical compression is resolved. This multi-modal approach is essential because decompression addresses the disc pathology, but without restoring the neuromuscular stability that protects the spine, the same disc can herniate again under the same mechanical stresses.
Lumbar vs. Cervical Decompression: The Chattanooga DTS system at DakshinRehab treats both lumbar and cervical disc conditions. For lumbar disc herniation (the most common site, causing sciatica and lower back pain), the system targets L3-L4, L4-L5, or L5-S1 segments depending on MRI findings. For cervical disc herniation (causing neck pain, arm numbness, and headaches), the DTS cervical mode specifically targets the C4-C7 levels most commonly affected by disc pathology. The cervical decompression protocol is particularly valuable for patients with 'tech neck' who have developed disc degeneration from prolonged forward head posture — an increasingly common presentation in Hyderabad's IT workforce.
Who Is a Candidate for Spinal Decompression? Ideal candidates include patients with MRI-confirmed disc herniation or bulging disc with radiculopathy (arm or leg symptoms), degenerative disc disease with chronic back or neck pain, foraminal stenosis (narrowing where nerves exit the spine), and patients who have not responded to 4–6 weeks of conventional physiotherapy. Spinal decompression is not suitable for patients with spinal fractures, severe osteoporosis, spinal tumours, spinal infections, previous spinal fusion hardware at the target level, or pregnancy. Our clinical assessment ensures every patient is appropriately screened before beginning treatment.
Expected Outcomes and Recovery
Based on our clinical experience and published research, 85–90 % of disc herniation patients experience significant pain relief with non-surgical decompression therapy. Most patients report 50–60 % improvement within the first 3 weeks (approximately 8–10 sessions). Full recovery — defined as pain resolution, restored nerve function, and return to normal activities — typically occurs within 8–12 weeks for disc herniation and 6–8 weeks for bulging disc without nerve compression. We track progress objectively using pain scales, functional movement tests, and neurological screening at regular intervals. If a patient is not responding as expected after 6–8 sessions, we reassess and may recommend imaging review.
Conclusion
A herniated disc diagnosis does not have to mean living with chronic pain or facing spinal surgery. Chattanooga DTS spinal decompression offers a scientifically proven, non-invasive pathway to disc healing — and when combined with nerve-level therapy, deep tissue healing, and core stability retraining, the results are durable. At DakshinRehab in Moosapet, Hyderabad, we bring this technology to patients from Kukatpally, KPHB, Miyapur, Gachibowli, Hitec City, Kondapur, and across the city. Book your spine assessment today — because your disc can heal, given the right conditions.
