Most people who ask us about spinal decompression have arrived at the same place: the pain has been going on long enough that surgery has come up in conversation, and they’d like to know whether there’s something to try first.
There usually is. Non-surgical spinal decompression is a conservative option for disc-related back and neck pain, and for the right patient it’s a reasonable step before anything irreversible.
The important words there are for the right patient. Decompression isn’t the answer to all back pain, and the honest version of this page includes who it doesn’t help. Dr. Mark Chiungos has been practicing in Chelmsford, MA since 1999 and will tell you plainly whether you’re a candidate. Call (978) 376-8190 to find out.
What Spinal Decompression Actually Does
Your spinal discs sit between the vertebrae and act as shock absorbers. Each one has a tougher outer ring and a gel-like center. When the outer ring weakens, the center can bulge or herniate outward — and if it presses on a nerve root, you get pain, numbness, tingling or weakness along whatever that nerve serves. That’s why a low back problem so often shows up as leg pain.
Discs also have a circulation problem: they have very little direct blood supply. They take in fluid and nutrients largely through pressure changes as you move. A degenerating, compressed disc loses that exchange, dehydrates and loses height — which narrows the space the nerve passes through and tends to make the problem self-reinforcing.
Spinal decompression targets both parts of that. By gently separating specific vertebrae, it creates negative pressure inside the disc. That negative pressure can draw herniated material inward, away from the nerve root, and it restores the pressure gradient that lets fluid and nutrients move back into the disc.
How it differs from traditional traction
This is the question that matters, because traction has existed for decades and results were inconsistent.
Simple traction pulls, and the body’s protective muscles respond by guarding — they contract against the pull, and the force never reaches the disc. Modern decompression systems use a computer-controlled logarithmic curve that ramps tension up and releases it in a pattern designed to avoid triggering that guarding response, and they target a specific spinal segment rather than pulling on the whole spine.
We use the SpineMED® system, which is FDA-cleared for this purpose. Most chiropractic offices in the Merrimack Valley don’t have this technology, which is why a fair number of our decompression patients drive in from outside Chelmsford.
What It Treats — and What It Doesn’t
Conditions that tend to respond:
- Herniated and bulging discs — the clearest indication, in the lumbar or cervical spine
- Degenerative disc disease — where disc height and hydration have been lost
- Sciatica from disc compression
- Facet syndrome and posterior joint pain
- Some cases of spinal stenosis, depending on cause and severity
- Failed back surgery syndrome, in selected cases
Conditions where decompression is not the answer:
- Piriformis syndrome — leg pain from a muscle compressing the sciatic nerve, not a disc. Different problem, different treatment.
- Purely muscular strain — responds to adjustment and soft-tissue work faster and more cheaply
- Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
- Pain from a non-mechanical source — infection, inflammatory arthritis, or anything systemic
This distinction is the entire point of the evaluation. Decompression prescribed for a problem it can’t reach is money and weeks spent for nothing, and we’d rather tell you that at the first visit.
Who shouldn’t have decompression
We don’t treat with decompression where there is: pregnancy, spinal fusion hardware or implants in the treated region, severe osteoporosis, spinal fracture, spinal tumor or infection, abdominal aortic aneurysm, or cauda equina syndrome. Some of those are absolute; some depend on specifics. Bring your full history and any imaging you have.
What a Session Is Like
You lie fully clothed on the SpineMED® table, and we fit a pelvic restraint (or a cervical harness for neck treatment). The system then applies and releases tension in a programmed cycle targeting your specific segment.
Most people find it comfortable — comfortable enough that a fair number fall asleep. There’s no anesthesia, no incision, no sedation and no recovery period. A session runs roughly 30 minutes, and you drive yourself home afterward.
How long a course of care takes
Decompression is a course of treatment, not a single procedure. A typical protocol runs several sessions a week over a number of weeks, with frequency tapering as things improve. We’ll give you a specific plan after the evaluation.
What we won’t do is quote you a generic timeline before examining you, or sell a fixed package up front. We reassess as we go, and if you aren’t responding the way we’d expect, we’ll say so and change the plan rather than finishing out the sessions.
What we usually combine it with
Decompression addresses the disc. It doesn’t, by itself, address the joint restriction and inflammation that typically come with it. Most patients do better with chiropractic adjustments to restore motion in the segments above and below, and often Aspen Apex Laser Therapy to bring inflammation around the nerve down.
Insurance
Coverage for spinal decompression varies more between plans than standard chiropractic care does — some plans cover it, some don’t, and some cover it only under specific conditions. We accept Medicare, Harvard Pilgrim, Tufts Health Plan, BlueCross BlueShield and UniCare/GIC. Call us and we’ll help you verify your specific benefits before you begin, not after.
When to Skip All of This and Get Emergency Care
If you develop rapidly worsening leg weakness, numbness in the groin or inner thighs, or any loss of bladder or bowel control, seek emergency medical care immediately. Those can indicate cauda equina syndrome, which requires urgent surgical evaluation — not a chiropractic appointment.
Serving Chelmsford and the Merrimack Valley
Our office is at 5 Fletcher Street in Chelmsford, off Route 3 and easy to reach from I-495. We regularly see patients from Chelmsford, North Chelmsford, Tewksbury, Westford, Billerica and Lowell.
A Chiropractic Wellness Place, PC
5 Fletcher Street, Chelmsford, MA 01824
(978) 376-8190
Schedule your evaluation · More about SpineMED® Decompression · What to expect as a new patient
FAQ
Chiropractic
Most insurance policies offer some chiropractic coverage. Dr. Chiungos works with Blue Cross-Blue Shield, Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare, Tufts Health Plan, Unicare/GIC, and Medicare. See the No Surprises Act for more information.
Absolutely. Chiropractic as a profession is more than 100 years old. We follow industry guidelines during our new patient induction process to minimize risk and maximize benefit. Chiropractic malpractice insurance is considered by many to be the least costly professional insurance in the healthcare industry because chiropractic is generally considered a safe, manual therapy.
It depends on your mechanism of injury and your current state of health. You might start feeling better as soon as your adjustment is finished. You might need to go home and ice (Dr. Chiungos will advise you). If your injury is serious, it may take several visits. But your healing has begun from the first adjustment. Your personal care plan is designed to take you from where you are today to your best possible outcome. Dr. Chiungos will keep you updated on your progress at each visit.
SpineMED®
Decompression treatment (SpineMED spinal decompression) is generally not covered by standard health insurance plans as a standalone procedure. However, the answer depends on your specific plan, insurer, and how care is billed — so it is always worth asking Dr. Chiungos and your insurance provider directly.
Does Medicare Cover Spinal Decompression?
Medicare does not typically cover non-surgical spinal decompression as a standalone service. Medicare Part B may cover chiropractic spinal manipulation (adjustment) when medically necessary, but SpineMED table decompression sessions fall outside current Medicare coverage guidelines. Dr. Chiungos will review your Medicare coverage with you before starting care and explain exactly what to expect cost-wise.
What About BCBS (Blue Cross Blue Shield)?
Blue Cross Blue Shield plans vary significantly by state and plan type. Some BCBS plans include chiropractic benefits that cover related services, but most classify spinal decompression as investigational or not medically necessary under their criteria. If you have BCBS, bring your insurance card to your first visit and our team will help you verify your benefits.
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
Harvard Pilgrim covers chiropractic care at varying levels depending on your plan, but spinal decompression via the SpineMED table is generally not a covered benefit. Routine chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy referrals, and other related services may apply toward your deductible or copay — Dr. Chiungos will discuss which components of your treatment plan may qualify.
Tufts Health Plan
Tufts Health Plan participants should review their specific chiropractic benefit tier. Tufts covers chiropractic adjustments for most plans, typically requiring a referral or pre-authorization depending on your plan level. As with other insurers, the decompression component itself is often excluded. We will work with you to maximize any covered services within your plan.
UniCare
UniCare (offered through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts for state employees and others) follows similar guidelines. Chiropractic manipulation may be covered, while decompression therapy is generally not a covered benefit under most UniCare contracts.
What Will I Pay Out of Pocket?
If Dr. Chiungos recommends spinal decompression as part of your care plan, he will sit down with you before treatment begins to review all costs, discuss any available payment plans, and make sure you receive full informed consent. No surprises. His priority is that you understand exactly what your investment looks like so you can make the best decision for your health and your budget.
To check your specific benefits or get a pre-treatment cost estimate, call our Chelmsford office at (978) 376-8190.
Spinal Disc Decompression with the SpineMED® Table has shown to be safe and generally without major side effects or complications once abnormal conditions have been ruled out. The process is so safe and comfortable, it’s not uncommon for patients to fall asleep!
- Patients under 12 years old
- If you had spinal surgery that involved clips, mesh or fusion
- If you have fractures, tumors or infections
- If you have osteoporosis or spondylolisthesis where there’s been a fracture or non-union defect in the spine, where that segment that we want to traction is unstable
Damaged intervertebral discs seldom heal as the discs are constantly under pressure from muscular spasm—during normal activities, and even while sleeping! SpineMED is designed to reduce the pressure in the discs, promoting the influx of vital fluids, nutrients and oxygen back into the discs to assist the body’s natural rebuilding process. This process may speed up the natural repair and could eventually heal damaged spinal discs.
Sessions are typically 30 minutes long. It could take 15 to 25 sessions or more to see some relief from your discomfort. That’s variable based on your status and the condition we’re treating. Ideally, the sessions are performed daily with rest on the weekend.
Aspen Laser
Laser treatment, as used in chiropractic offices, is not currently covered by health insurance. If Dr. Chiungos believes this is an integral part of your treatment plan, he will discuss all costs and potential discounts before the start of care.
Laser therapy has been in use for over thirty years with almost no side effects reported. Aspen Laser is FDA-registered and passes all safety compliance requirements. The treatments are not painful; in fact, laser is warm and comfortable to your skin. Dr. Chiungos will check in with you regularly to make sure the temperature feels right, and you can always speak up if it starts to feel too warm. The main safety concern is for the eyes, which is why Dr. Chiungos will provide protective glasses for both patient and doctor at each session.
Laser is effective on most parts of the body; however, there are times when laser is not appropriate:
- during pregnancy
- within twelve months of cancer treatments
- during the use of photo-sensitizing medications
- over recent steroid injections (seven days)
- over growth plates or reproductive glands
- over tattoos or skin infections
Laser therapy promotes energy production supporting cellular repair, increased blood flow, increased red blood cell oxygen-carrying capacity, and decrease of inflammation. When used in conjunction with traditional chiropractic, laser can reduce pain and healing time, and promote a deeper, more complete healing to the area of concern.
Sessions typically last 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the treatment area. They generally start longer and reduce in length as you heal. Most acute conditions require only 10 – 12 treatment sessions. If you have a chronic condition, you may need 12 – 20 treatments and one or two follow-up sessions every month. The amount and frequency of treatments are determined through assessment of your condition combined with Dr. Chiungos’s experience treating patients with laser. You will likely start to feel better after your first 5 sessions.
