NSSD - Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression

[Battis]

Be careful with the inversion table/bed. I used one for 15 years, and it helped, then, one day, the pressure of being inverted messed up my Achilles tendon. It had had enough of the stretching pressure. But, I swore by that inversion bed for many years. The pain relief was great until I came back upright.
I've also heard that being inverted can cause glaucoma, though I never had problems.
I know three people who have had neck surgery, and they're all much better.

[kevin c]

“80% success rate” does not mean what a patient hopes it means; that 8 out of 10 patients are cured, or that the symptoms are reduced by 80%. Any reduction of symptoms can be called a success, so the truth could be only that 8 out of 10 had some kind improvement, and that’s assuming the statement is honest in the first place.

Retired doc who detested hyping anything.

[MaryB]

I had the exact as MaryB, only 20 years ago. I had to do no heavy lifting and wear a cervical collar for 6 weeks. After the 6 weeks no restrictions at all.I left the doctors office went home and got on my tractor with my head being thrown side to side when hitting ruts.
Check with a different doctor If he doesn't think 6 weeks is good enough.

My doc doesn't use a collar, says it weakens the neck muscles making recovery longer.

[MaryB]

Guys (and Mary B...LOL),

Sincerely appreciate your advice and sharing your experiences.

I have the best surgeon in Michigan lined up, but will try every other option first before taking that route. At times, it is easy to say, "screw it", and schedule the surgery, but there is no assurance that will do the trick. And I have heard enough horror stories about surgeries.

One of the guys at deer camp had one of his neck vertebrae done 20 years ago and tells me to go for it. It worked for him so he thinks it will work for everyone. But even the "experts" cannot seem to predict the results.

How they did it 20 years ago compared to now are night and day different! Old days they went in from the back of the neck disturbing lots of muscle... now it is a 1" incision in the front of the neck(doc went where I had a natural skin crease, barely shows!). Back then they used cadaver bone, now it is a plastic cage filled with a bone growth hormone then the plate to hold it stable until bone fills in 10x faster than the old way. I had very little neck pain after I woke up, less than pre surgery! Doc was going to do a single level then got in and saw what had happened to the discs in the car accident, 2 were ruptured way out to one side compressing nerves so it was a 2 level fusion.