My Experience With Idd Therapy

I've decided to place this review for idd therapy(also called neurosurgical spinal rehabilitation program (nsr)), since it is a new technology and not much information is out there about it. I hope it will give some insight on the process and my personal feelings on the treatment.

I've had pretty bad back problems most of my life and about a year ago went through a very painful spinal fusion surgery, which left me even more handicapped with additional nerve damage. After many monthes of reviewing my options, my physician recommended idd therapy. My doctor was very optimistic about the program and recommended many of his patients for it. He also stated that it had an 80 percent success rate. Now for anyone who experiences lower back pain, the idea that 20 sessions of a new technology physical therapy may cure your pain, is a very exciting concept, so naturally I jumped in. The treatments can
be expensive, but to my great relief my insurance company agreed to cover the sessions.

Before scheduling the first treatment a pamplet was issued to me instructing me to wear loose fitted clothes and sneakers. You also want to bring your ice pack daily, which they will provide you at the beginning of your treatment. They recommend taking a multivitamin daily, drink lots of water, and take aspirin, ibuprofen or naprosyn an hour before the treatment. After the treatment they ask you to take a minimum of an hour nap. In the pamplet they also say that included in the program is a weekly massage.

The first week of the treatment was very difficult and left me in severe pain, but the pain from the procedure will usually subside by the third week. They start the session by seating you in a chair with a heating pad on your back, they leave you there for about 15 minutes. Then after that they take you into the office and seat you in a massage chair. They place very small electric shock pads all along the affected areas of your back. (this part was frustrating, cause they often tend to shock you with them). A round ball is gelled then rubbed around the back where the shock pads were just placed, sending a charge to the muscle to relax them. This goes on for just a couple minutes. You are then asked to stand and they suit you up in a large harnes, that personally reminded me of a diaper but high in the back for support. Attached to this harness are straps in various areas that will be used to attach you into the table.

Once the harness is tightened you are asked to step into the machine which is angled in a standing position. This machine itself can be very intimidating. But it is designed to strap you in and move in various positions while lightly tugging and stretching your back. The machine is computerised and an increase of weight is placed on it daily to increase the strength in your back. Once you stand into the machine, it will begin to move you into a flat position so that you are laid comfortably on your back. This is when all of the harnesses are strapped tightly into the machine. At this the machine will begin to moving in it's various positions while pulling you. Each stretch lasts about 3 minutes. Within 10 minutes the table below your rear will begin to split open increasing the pressure and weight that is being pushed against your back. The process is pretty painless until the table opens and then you will feel some pressure. Throughout my sessions I was never able to have the table opened due to the pain it left me in. The machine treatment is about 20 minutes. After that is done, a cooling gel is placed on your back along with an ice pack. And your session is now over. They recommend wearing the ice pack for 2 hours.

In the office that I went for my treatments they had 2 available tables, so there were often other patients in the room with me. I spoke to several of the patients and asked there experience with the therapy. Unfortunately the treatment was not given rave reviews.

Through the people that I questioned, I took notice to the fact that there was a better success rate for people with disc or neck problems. But there was virtually no success for people with nerve problems, like myself. And i'm sad to report that many people said they felt they were left in more pain after the treatment than before. As for myself, I can admit that the treatment has given me more mobility when sitting and turning. But my pain remains pretty much the same. I can say that i'm glad that I did the procedure. But my feelings would have been different if my insurance did not cover it. I don't feel the treatment would have been worth the five thousand dollars out of pocket.

And on a final note I never received the weekly massage that was promised from the pamplet.