Everyone experiences back pain in the spring after working five hours in the garden. Most of us feel assorted aches when we resolve to return to a regular exercise regimen after months of inactivity. But to live with constant severe pain can be debilitating. WebMD estimates that 80 percent of Americans experience severe back pain at some point in their lives.

Dr. Barry R. Canty is a Coastside resident and owner of the Canty Chiropractic practice in San Mateo. He has been focusing for more than nine years on spinal decompression therapy, a therapy available for over 10 years and approved by the Food and Drug Administration. It is a non-surgical, non-invasive procedure that relieves back pain stemming from various medical conditions.

Cantry’s clinic features a device called the DRS System, developed by neurosurgeon C. Norman Shealy; DRS stands for decompression, reduction, and stabilization. “It was developed through years of biotechnological clinical research and is the result of the combined efforts of neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons and biomedical engineers,” said Canty. “Following the successful treatment of more than 8,000 patients, FDA clearance of the DRS System was issued in April of 1997, and the systems became available for medical use in January of 1998.” Canty has been using the DRS System since the year it became available.

“The computer-controlled equipment creates a decrease in pressure within the disc, causing a vacuum effect and producing a negative internal disc pressure,” said Dr. Rommel Hindocha, an associate of Canty. “This vacuum effect is thought to literally ‘pull’ or ‘suck’ the liquid portion of the disc back into the center, thus reducing the disc bulge or herniation. This ‘suction’ effect is also thought to allow oxygen, nutrients and water into the degenerated disc, enabling the healing to begin.”

Until recently, these conditions have been managed by medications, epidural injections, and surgery – all of which have serious known side effects. Hindocha said, “The toxic effects of common anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen and aspirin, known as NSAIDs, have been recognized for years.” He also discussed back surgery as an alternative, but concluded that as with all surgery, there are risks due to complications.
Spinal decompression is different because it actually heals the disc without medications, injections or surgery. It has none of the serious side effects associated with those other procedures.

Hindocha said, “Many types of doctors are utilizing this approach to manage and eliminate common chronic spinal conditions. Medical doctors such as neurologists and orthopedic surgeons, as well as other health care specialists like doctors of chiropractic and osteopaths are now employing this revolutionary type of non-surgical therapy. These doctors have extensive training and specialize in spine-related conditions.”
For more information on this new technology, visit www.650backpain.com. The Peninsula Spine Center is located at 32 W. 25th Avenue, Suite 100 in San Mateo. They can be reached at 650-349-1516.