North Vancouver Spinal Decompression
At Mountain Health & Performance, spinal decompression is a core part of our evidence-informed, patient-focused, and sport-ready injury care system. Whether you’re navigating chronic back pain, recovering from a disc injury, or managing nerve symptoms like sciatica, spinal decompression helps you move, recover, and function without the limitations of pain or spinal compression.
We combine clinical skill, modern traction technology, and multidisciplinary treatment planning to serve active and aging individuals, and anyone seeking long-term relief and improved spinal function across North Vancouver and the surrounding area.
What Is Spinal Decompression?
Spinal decompression is a non-surgical therapeutic treatment that gently applies traction (a pulling force) to the spine. The goal is to:
Reduce pressure on spinal discs and nerves
Increase space between vertebrae
Support natural healing of injured disc tissue
Improve alignment and biomechanics
Reduce muscle guarding and spasms
Restore mobility through the spinal joints
Unlike traditional “stretching,” spinal decompression works deeper, influencing structures such as:
Intervertebral discs (the shock-absorbing cushions between vertebrae)
Spinal nerve roots
Facet joints (the small joints at the back of each vertebra)
Surrounding muscles and connective tissue
The entire kinetic chain that contributes to movement and posture
Through decompression, a slight negative pressure (vacuum effect) is created inside the discs, which can help encourage bulging or herniated material to retract, while improving circulation of nutrients and hydration into disc tissue—supporting long-term recovery and symptom reduction.
At Mountain Health & Performance, decompression is used strategically within a full care plan, not as a standalone fix. It’s most effective when paired with corrective rehab, soft tissue therapy, movement retraining, manual spinal care, and sport-recovery support, so the outcomes stick and your movement improves sustainably.
How Spinal Decompression Works (In Simple Terms)
You lie comfortably on a decompression table while the system delivers gentle, controlled traction cycles to a targeted region of your spine—typically the low back or neck. The pull is:
Precise
Gradual
Comfort-first
Safe
Clinician-guided
Intended to unload painful or compressed tissue
Patients often describe the sensation as relieving, elongating, pressure-reducing, and calming, followed by decreased stiffness, improved movement, and a noticeable reduction in pain intensity over sessions.
The treatment supports mechanical unloading at the source, allowing inflamed or irritated tissue the opportunity to settle, while giving the spine room to function more optimally.
What Conditions Can Spinal Decompression Help With?
Spinal decompression is used to treat a wide range of spinal compression, nerve sensitivity, and mobility-related conditions. It is commonly recommended as part of care for:
1. Disc Herniations & Disc Bulges
A disc injury happens when the soft inner material pushes outward toward surrounding nerves. Symptoms may include sharp or radiating pain, numbness, pins-and-needles, or weakness. Spinal decompression helps by:
Offloading compressive forces
Reducing nerve irritation
Supporting tissue healing
Encouraging safer movement tolerance
Helping symptom relief without surgery when clinically appropriate
2. Nerve Impingement & Sciatica
Sciatica often refers to nerve compression or irritation in the lower back that causes pain to travel down the hip, leg, or foot. Decompression helps reduce pressure around affected nerves, especially when supported by:
Soft tissue care
Postural correction
Rehab protocols
Movement retraining
Manual spinal therapy
3. Spinal Stenosis
Stenosis refers to a narrowing of space in the spinal canal, which compresses spinal nerves or the spinal cord. Symptoms may worsen during walking or standing. Decompression helps by:
Improving space for nerve tissue
Supporting better tolerance to upright movement
Reducing spasms induced by nerve compression
Assisting better walking and daily mobility endurance
4. Facet Joint Dysfunction
When the small spinal joints aren’t moving correctly, stiffness and pain can develop, often with muscle spasms. Decompression reduces compressive force on these joints while helping restore better function when combined with:
Chiropractic manual care
Soft tissue therapy
Therapeutic movement protocols
Postural load training
5. Neck Pain and Cervical Compression Syndromes
Decompression can be used for disc injury or nerve compression in the neck (cervical spine). Patients often report relief of:
Local spinal stiffness
Pain referring into shoulders or arms
Tension-induced headaches
Sleep-disrupting nerve discomfort
6. Lower Back Pain with Movement Compensations
When foot, hip, and pelvic mechanics influence spinal alignment, decompression paired with manual care and rehab can significantly improve movement tolerance and long-term outcomes.
Treatment Outcomes: What You Can Expect
While results vary based on individual diagnosis, activity compliance, and footwear or rehab alignment, most patients report:
Pain reduction through the target spinal region
Fewer nerve symptoms (numbness, tingling, radiating pain)
Improved mobility, especially in the morning or post activity
Reduced muscle spasm frequency and intensity
Better exercise tolerance and recovery times
Ability to stand, walk, hike, train, or sleep with less discomfort
Improved confidence in movement
How We Use Spinal Decompression for North Vancouver Patients and Athletes
At MHP, decompression is delivered with a precision-first clinical strategy:
✔ Targeted Region Selection
Traction is applied to the exact segment of the spine showing compression, sensitivity, or dysfunction.
✔ Comfort and Safety Priority
Force is increased gradually, always within a symptom-safe range.
✔ Care Plan Integration
Orthopedic outcomes are maximized when decompression is paired with:
Manual spinal care
Massage therapy
Shockwave therapy
Active rehab
Movement retraining
Strength balancing
Nervous system recovery protocols
Posture-focused load training
Home guidance
Spinal decompression is most effective when it’s part of a full, clinician-directed plan—and at Mountain Health & Performance, that’s the standard.
Why North Vancouver Chooses Mountain Health & Performance for Spinal Decompression
Root-Cause Diagnosis: Gait, posture, and tissue load patterns are always part of the analysis
Multidisciplinary Care: You’re never treated by a single modality— we don’t just treat the symptom, we treat the system
Local Experts: North Vancouver owned, trained, and trusted clinical care providers
Who Provides Spinal Decompression at Mountain Health & Performance?
All three chiropractors at Mountain Health & Performance are have experience using spinal decompression clinically as part of injury care and performance recovery:
Our broader team, including RMTs and physiotherapists, may recommend decompression in your care pathway and collaborate with our chiropractors to ensure integrated outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is spinal decompression painful?
No. Most patients describe it as pressure-relieving and calming, not painful.
Is decompression safe?
Yes, when performed by a licensed clinician within a guided care plan.
How many sessions will I need?
This depends on the condition. Many patients notice relief early, but sustainable change typically requires multiple visits paired with rehab and spinal care.
Can this help me avoid spinal surgery?
In many cases, especially for disc bulges and nerve compression, decompression is a highly effective, non-surgical first-line option when clinically appropriate.