When a disc in your spine presses on a nerve, the pain has a way of taking over your life. Sitting hurts. Standing hurts. Sleep gets thin. And the options a lot of people are handed come down to strong medication or surgery.
Spinal decompression offers a middle path. It is a gentle, non-surgical way to take pressure off a damaged disc and the nerve it is irritating, so your body has room to heal, and it is a cornerstone of our herniated and bulging disc care. At our Wheat Ridge clinic, we deliver it on the DRX-9000.
What the DRX-9000 Is and How It Works
The DRX-9000 is widely considered the gold standard in spinal decompression. It is a top-of-the-line machine built to do one thing extremely well: apply slow, controlled traction to a specific spinal segment.
That precise pull creates a small amount of negative pressure inside the disc. Over a series of sessions, that can help ease a bulging or herniated disc back off the nerve and pull water, oxygen, and nutrients into the disc so it can recover. There is no surgery, no injection, and no downtime afterward. Most people lie back and relax through a session.
Who It Helps
Decompression is not right for every ache, and we will always tell you straight if it is not the tool for you. It tends to help most with nerve-related pain driven by a disc, including:
- Herniated or bulging discs in the neck or low back
- Sciatica and radiating leg pain from a pinched nerve
- Spinal stenosis-related nerve pressure
- Chronic neck or low-back pain that has not responded to other care
A Real Alternative to Back Surgery
For the right candidate, decompression can relieve the pressure that would otherwise send someone toward the operating room. That matters, because spinal surgery is a serious step with a long recovery and no guarantees.
We think of decompression as the conservative option worth trying first. If it is a fit for your situation, you get a chance at real relief without the risks of surgery. And we are honest about candidacy, because the DRX only works when the problem actually matches what the machine is built to treat.
Why Applewood for Spinal Decompression
We invested in the gold-standard machine
Plenty of clinics advertise decompression on lighter equipment. We use the DRX-9000 because the precision of the traction is what makes the difference in results.
We treat candidacy honestly
Not every disc problem needs decompression, and some do better with conservative chiropractic care. We evaluate first and recommend the DRX only when it genuinely fits. When it is a fit, we offer multi-visit package discounts for a full course of care — no hard sell, no pressure.
Everything is under one roof
Because we also handle adjustments and in-house therapies, your decompression care can be paired with the right supporting treatment without sending you across town.
What a Decompression Session Is Like
If you have never done decompression before, the process is easier and more comfortable than most people expect. Here is how a typical session goes:
- You lie down, fully clothed, and we secure a comfortable harness that lets the machine target the right spinal segment.
- The DRX-9000 applies slow, gentle cycles of traction, easing pressure on the disc and then relaxing.
- You rest through the session, which many patients find relaxing enough to nearly doze off.
- You get up and walk right out. There is no recovery time or restriction afterward.
Decompression is not a one-and-done treatment. It works over a series of sessions as the disc gradually responds, which is why the evaluation up front matters so much.
What to Expect Over a Course of Care
Because every disc and every person is different, we do not promise a fixed number of sessions or a guaranteed result. What we do is watch how your body responds and adjust as we go. Some people feel a shift early, while others build relief more gradually. That said, for significant disc herniations the research points to a full course — often around 20 sessions — and people tend to get the most benefit when they complete it rather than stopping after two or three. We will give you an honest range up front so you know what to expect, and multi-visit discounts help make the full course more affordable.
We may also pair decompression with supportive in-house care so the muscles and joints around the disc are working with the treatment, not against it. That coordinated approach is one advantage of having everything under one roof.
Honest Talk About Cost and Insurance
Spinal decompression is generally not covered by insurance, so we offer it as a straightforward cash-pay treatment. Because it works as a course of care, we offer multi-visit discount packages, and our front desk will walk you through the pricing before you commit to anything, with no pressure to sign up for more than you need.
Is Decompression Right for You?
The honest answer is that it depends, and finding out is the point of a consult. Decompression tends to help most when a disc is the clear source of nerve pain and the problem has not responded to more basic care, and for many patients it is the path to real sciatica relief. It is not the right tool for every kind of back pain, and we will never pretend otherwise.
During your evaluation, we look at your history, your symptoms, and how you move to decide whether the DRX-9000 is a good match. If it is, we will explain what a course of care looks like. If it is not, we will steer you toward something that fits better, whether that is conservative chiropractic care or another path entirely.
A Gentle, Low-Risk Option
One reason people are drawn to decompression is how low-risk it is compared to the alternatives. There is no incision, no anesthesia, and no recovery period. For someone weighing whether to head toward surgery, trying a conservative option first often makes sense, because starting gently costs you very little and could spare you a much bigger step.
Frequently Asked Questions
For the right candidate, it can bring significant relief from disc-related nerve pain. Results depend on the specific problem, which is why we evaluate your case before recommending it rather than promising an outcome.
For many people it is worth trying first, because it carries none of the risk or recovery time of surgery. If it relieves the nerve pressure, you may avoid an operation altogether. If it is not enough, you have lost nothing by starting conservatively.
No. Most people find the gentle traction relaxing and comfortable. You stay clothed and simply lie on the table while the DRX-9000 does the work.
It varies by person and by how the disc responds, but for significant disc herniations the research points to a course of around 20 sessions. We will give you an honest range after your evaluation, and because finishing the course is what produces results, we offer multi-visit discounts to make it easier to complete.
Spinal decompression is generally not covered by insurance, so it is offered as a cash-pay treatment. We keep pricing transparent and offer multi-visit discounts for a full course of care. Our front desk can review the details during your consultation so you know your options up front.
Sometimes, but it depends heavily on your specific history and what was done. This is exactly the kind of question we work through during your consultation before recommending anything.
Book Your Appointment Today
If disc pain has been running your days, it is worth finding out whether decompression can help — you can book an appointment, and a short consult will tell us whether the DRX-9000 is the right tool for what you are dealing with.