Friend urges inversion therapy

Dear Dr. Roach: I have been diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis. A spine specialist has advised surgery to fuse vertebrae in two places. I have already had surgery to remove a herniated disk on both these vertebrae and spinal epidurals with limited success.

Recently a friend suggested inversion therapy. My personal physician says, “It can’t do any harm.” What are your thoughts on this? — M.D.N

Spinal stenosis is when the harder structures of the spine (bones, ligaments) compress the spinal cord or nerve roots. This causes pain and may eventually cause weakness. Definitive surgical therapy — laminectomy with decompression — may also be combined with lumbar fusion, especially if there is spondylolisthesis, a misalignment of the vertebrae. Surgery should not be recommended lightly. It is a major surgery with potential for complications, and the relief of compression is not permanent.

Physical therapy is the mainstay of nonoperative treatment. There are many spinal traction techniques, including inversion, to relieve the pressure of the vertebral bodies on top of each other. While they can cause short-term relief of pain, studies have shown no long-term benefit, and the techniques do not affect the underlying disease.

I would slightly amend your doctor’s view and say it’s unlikely to do harm. Inversion therapy can cause eye damage in people with glaucoma, and although unlikely, could be an issue for people with high blood pressure.

I understand you are frustrated and in pain. If you don’t have glaucoma and have wellcontrolled blood pressure, you can certainly give inversion therapy a try. However, if you have or develop weakness, that’s an indication that the recommended surgery should not be put off.

Dr. PKaeui l th DoRnoahcuhe GOOD HEALTH