If your lower back flares up every few months, you’re far from alone. Pain that fades isn’t the same as a problem that’s fixed. As a Draper chiropractor, Dr. Joshua Stockwell at Draper Spinal Care sees many patients who have cycled through rest, pain relievers, and stretching for years. For back pain that comes from a compressed or bulging disc, non-surgical spinal decompression aims at the disc itself instead of only quieting the symptoms.
How often does lower back pain come back?
More often than most people expect. A 2019 study in the Journal of Physiotherapy followed 250 people who had just recovered from an episode of low back pain. Within 12 months, 69% had another episode, and 40% had one bad enough to limit their activity. The median time before pain returned was 139 days, a little over four months.
The same study found three factors that predicted a return: frequent awkward postures, sitting more than five hours a day, and having had more than two previous episodes. When pain keeps recurring, or lasts 12 weeks or longer, it’s generally considered chronic.
Why does back pain return after it stops hurting?
Back pain often returns because the tissues that were strained never fully recovered, even after the pain went away. Two common culprits are weakened stabilizing muscles and a disc that’s still under pressure.
The multifidus is a small, deep muscle that runs along the spine and helps hold each vertebra steady. Research by Hides and colleagues found that it shrinks on the painful side during a first episode of low back pain and doesn’t rebuild on its own once the pain stops. In their follow-up trial published in Spine in 2001, people who did four weeks of targeted exercises to retrain the muscle had a 30% recurrence rate after one year. The group that received only standard medical care had an 84% recurrence rate.
Discs follow a similar pattern. A bulging or herniated disc can calm down enough to stop hurting while it still sits close to a nerve root. Then a long drive or a day of yard work sets it off again.
What is the root cause of recurring disc-related back pain?
For many recurring cases, the root cause is sustained pressure on a damaged disc combined with a spine that isn’t well supported. Not every backache comes from a disc. Muscle strains, joint irritation, and other conditions can look similar, which is why an exam comes before any treatment plan. When the disc is the source, relieving pain without addressing the pressure leaves the next flare-up waiting.
How does spinal decompression target the disc?
Spinal decompression is a computer-controlled form of traction that gently separates the vertebrae around a specific disc, with the goal of lowering pressure inside the disc and giving nerves more room. At our office we use the DRX9000. You lie on your back in a harness while the table applies a slow, cycling pull calibrated to your body.
The research on decompression is still growing, but it points at the disc directly. A retrospective study of 30 patients treated on the DRX9000 for six weeks found that measured disc height on CT scans increased from 7.5 to 8.8 millimeters on average, while low back pain scores dropped from 6.2 to 1.6 out of 10. That study had no comparison group. A 2022 randomized trial with a sham control reported better leg pain and disability outcomes in the decompression group.
Why does our Draper chiropractor office combine decompression with other care?
Decompression relieves pressure on the disc, but keeping pain from returning depends on what happens next. A 2016 review in JAMA Internal Medicine found that exercise combined with education lowered the risk of a new back pain episode by about 45%. That’s why a decompression plan at Draper Spinal Care includes guidance on core stability, sitting habits, and safe lifting.
Many patients also receive NUCCA upper cervical care, a gentle technique that uses precise measurements and light pressure near the base of the skull to correct head and neck alignment. The goal is a more balanced posture so the lower back isn’t carrying an uneven load.
Who is a good candidate for spinal decompression?
People with herniated or bulging discs, degenerative disc disease, or sciatica from a compressed nerve root are often good candidates. Decompression generally isn’t used during pregnancy or for people with spinal fractures, advanced osteoporosis, tumors, or surgical hardware in the lower spine. If you ever lose bladder or bowel control or feel numb in the groin area, go to the emergency room right away.
Breaking the cycle with a Draper chiropractor
Chronic lower back pain returns when the disc stays under pressure and the muscles that protect it stay weak. Decompression addresses the disc, and exercise and posture work protect it afterward. If your back pain keeps coming back, schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Stockwell, your Draper Chiropractor at Draper Spinal Care, to find out whether a disc is behind it.
