IDD Therapy

At Osteopath West your initial appointment will include a full medical case history followed by an osteopathic/physical assessment and treatment plan lasting up to an hour.

Our IDD treatment lasts for up to one hour.

* 10 minutes of heat therapy to warm the tissues and get blood flow into the affected area.
* 25 minutes of IDD Therapy on the SPINA machine.
* Afterwards we may give you 10 minutes cold therapy. This is just to calm the treated area before you go home.

You remain comfortable throughout.

Each session lasts for one hour and is billed as a one hour treatment. The price for an individual session is £90, which is less than the price of two 30 minute treatments, but as explained below you will generally need a course of treatments. The price of the course will be discussed in your initial consultation.

This is an important question and one which the team will discuss with you. It really does depend on the duration and severity of your condition. People with mild back pain may experience symptomatic relief within a few sessions, but for long term problems, most patients will need a course of treatment.

A typical course will be spread over a 6 to 8 week period. For patients with serious spine issues who are facing surgery, the original protocol is based around an intensive course of 20 treatments. There is of course no such thing as a cure all for back pain. If for any reason you are not responding to the treatment in the way we would like, then we will advise you accordingly and stop the treatment.

When patients have back pain or neck pain for some time, spinal segments become stiff and immobile. The discs in the spine rely on movement for their hydration and nutrition. IDD Therapy uses computer-controlled pulling forces to open the spinal segment, mobilise and decompress the injured disc. To do this we have to use comparatively higher forces than can be achieved with manual therapy
and progressively increase the pulling forces to achieve the goals.

So rather like exercising requires more than one session for the body to adapt and become fitter/stronger, addressing the causes of back pain means the body has to gently adapt to treatment. This simply cannot be achieved overnight or in just a couple of sessions, hence the requirement to have a course of treatment.

We would all like a simple solution but the reality is, chronic back pain takes time.

If you have an MRI, bring the report with you. The MRI helps us to confirm the spinal level we wish to treat and also the nature of the disc problem. That will help us get a picture of the protocol which will give us the best chance for success.

If you don’t have an MRI, we can discuss this with you and arrange one where appropriate.

No, you remain fully clothed throughout. You can wear normal clothes, so long as they are comfortable. Ladies should wear trousers, leggings or loose fitting tracksuit.

During your initial consultation and assessment you may be asked to dress down to your underwear so that we can see your posture and how your spine is moving.

No. The treatment is intended to be comfortable. Whilst considerable pulling forces are used, they are delivered in a way that the body is comfortable. Much better than the traction machines of old. Many patients go to sleep because the treatment is relaxing. A by product of treatment is the release of endorphins so treatment feels good.

Yes. The treatment is safe with many patients going to sleep during treatment. The treatment progresses gently with the added reassurance that if at any time a patient does feel uncomfortable, the patient can press a treatment stop button. In this instance, the treatment stops smoothly.

The main difference is that IDD Therapy decompresses and mobilises targeted spinal segments with sufficient force and for sufficient time to have a desired therapeutic effect. Traditional mechanical traction on the other hand provided only general stretch on the lower back and was not specific to the injured segment. IDD Therapy has some elements of traction in its DNA but it was developed specifically to address the failings of traction as part of a programme of care, whilst incorporating the objectives of manual therapy techniques.

IDD Therapy created the category of treatment whereby altering angles at which forces are applied to the spine, clinicians are able to decompress a specific spinal segment. This is the principal of spinal decompression. However, IDD Therapy goes even further because it includes a patented oscillation or mobilisation capability. We are interested in decompressing the disc and other spinal structures, however most importantly, we aim to gently mobilise tight muscles and stiff ligaments to improve mobility in the joints of the spine.

By improving mobility, we assist the body and allow the natural healing mechanisms to operate efficiently. This gentle by dynamic component is unique to IDD Therapy and is in part why it’s the leading spinal decompression treatment.

When IDD Therapy was developed, part of the design was to resolve problems associated with traditional traction (a mechanical treatment). The patient steps on to the bed in an upright position without having to twist (and put pressure on the disc). However, the main purpose of the bed tilt is for when patients finish treatment. After the controlled treatment, the patient is brought upright slowly and gently so that they return to weight bearing progressively, without any twisting movements.

We will guide you on which exercises are suitable. Initially we don’t want you to exercise because the body is getting used to the treatment, then there are some simple exercises. Nothing too strenuous and we don’t just send you on your way with a sheet of exercises!

Spinal injections are given to help ease inflammation, typically on the facet joints, which is a cause of pain. They are intended to create a window of pain relief for rehabilitation. An injection is not intended to address the problems of compression of discs or stiffness in the spine. Spinal injections in isolation are not a long term solution for most patients.

Patients who have had surgery can opt for IDD Therapy. The two criteria are that the surgery was carried out six months ago and that there are no implants in the spine. Talk to the team if you would like to discuss your spinal history.

You can make an appointment with one of our practitioners. If you call, just ask about a spine appointment and IDD. Our practitioners will assess your condition and give you a good understanding of whether IDD Therapy is suitable for you.

To book an appointment call us on 07956 954093

IDD Therapy treatment is one treatment tool we use and as part of your assessment we will advise you on the most applicable treatment for your individual needs.

Read the evidence and articles via IDD Therapy Website and the clinical literature by North American Medical.