FAQs - A question and answer page

1. Q. What is a bulging disc?
   A. A bulging disc is a weakening of the disc wall that causes the disc to bulge out and press painfully on surrounding nerves.
   
   
2. Q. What is a herniated disc?
   A. A herniated disc occurs when the pressure within a disc becomes too great, tearing through the disc wall allowing a portion of the center jelly-like substance to protrude out onto the nerves or spinal cord.
   
   
3. Q. What is a degenerated disc?
   A. A degenerated disc is a condition where the disc begins to wear out starting with tears along the outer surface of the disc. The disc joint loses strength and further tearing of the disc continues. This causes the disc to lose height and the cartilage in the disc to degenerate and the disc space to narrow. Eventually, the surrounding vertebrae fuse together. This can close in and pinch the nerves of that area. VAX-D can open that area back up, relieving the nerve and bringing healing nutrients and fluids back into the disc.
   
   
4. Q. What is a ruptured disc?
   A. A ruptured disc is another name for a herniated disc.
   
   
5. Q. Will VAX-D help a slipped disc?
   A. A bulging or herniated disc is sometimes incorrectly referred to as a "slipped" disc. VAX-D succeeds at treating bulging or herniated discs over 70% of the time without surgery.
   
   
6. Q. What is Sciatica?
   A. The nerves exiting out between the bones (vertebrae) of the low back serve the legs. These nerves combine into the major nerve of the leg, the Sciatic nerve. When one or more of these nerves is injured, pain, weakness, numbness or tingling may be felt in the buttocks, leg or foot. This is referred to as Sciatica. Most of the time it is caused by a herniated or bulging disc compressing the sciatic nerve.
   
   
7. Q. What causes Low Back Pain?
   A. Low back pain can have many several causes. The most common of these are: degenerated disc, bulging or herniated disc; spinal misalignment; spinal stenosis (closing of the canals where the nerves and spinal cord travel); facet syndrome (pain in the joints of the vertebrae); muscle spasm.
   
   
8. Q. What is Disc Decompression?
   A. Disc decompression is a term which means the disc or the cushion between two spinal bones (vertebrae) which has been compressed or squashed by too much pressure from your injuries is now being relieved by having taking the pressure off of the disc. This is what VAX-D does. It not only takes the pressure off of the compressed disc and nerves but it also creates a vacuum inside the disc which draws in nutrients, oxygen and fluids necessary for healing.
   
   
9. Q. What is Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression?
   A. Spinal decompression was originally done by surgery. It was a way to remove the pressure on  the nerve or spinal cord by surgically removing part of the disc, bone or other means. The success rate is less than impressive for long term results and is very traumatic to the body. VAX-D was the revolutionary discovery in 1991 of how to do spinal decompression without surgery and without the side effects. As a result, non-surgical decompression or VAX-D, became the treatment of choice for chronic low back pain, sciatica and disc problems.
   
   
10. Q. Is the VAX-D Therapy experimental?
    A. Vax-D Therapy is a medical device that is F.D.A. approved. It is registered as a Class 2, non-experimental treatment modality by the Division of Surgical Rehabilitative Medicine of the FDA.
    
    
11. Q. Am I a candidate for VAX-D Treatment?
    A. Most people with low back pain and/or sciatica qualify for Vax-D therapy. There are some rare conditions where Vax-D therapy would not be beneficial. This is determined by a consultation and evaluation in our office which includes a complete examination and specialized x-rays.
    
    
12. Q. If I’m not a candidate for VAX-D therapy, are there other options available?
    A. If you are not a candidate for Vax-D Therapy, there is a state-of-the-art spinal rehabilitation called A.S.B.E. (Applied Spinal Biomechanical Engineering). Currently, our Doctors are of the few Board Certified Specialists in the world specializing in this advanced treatment of the spine. This treatment is covered by most insurance plans and Medicare. If no insurance coverage, you may be eligible for one of our cash discounts and budget plans.
    
    
13. Q. How many sessions do I need?
    A. Since every case is different, the number of sessions you need will be determined after your examination and specialized x-rays have been evaluated by the doctor.
    
    
14. Q. How long is each session?
    A. Each session is 30-45minutes.
    
    
15. Q. If I have a Work Injury claim or Auto/Personal claim, do I need approval from the insurance company, the insurance adjuster, my attorney or my doctor?
    A. No, you do not. However, we require a consultation be done with you in advance to discuss your situation and see if you are a candidate before any changes are made. If we accept you for one of our treatment options, we can then contact your insurance company, attorney and/or doctor for you. We will inform them of our findings and what is needed. You don’t need authorization to come into our office for the initial visit. It will not be part of your case or file until we accept you as a patient and you decide to receive treatment.
    
    
16. Q. Do I need a referral from my doctor?
    A. No, you do not in most cases. We will determine if this is necessary after your initial consultation. If it is necessary, we will give you the proper information to take to your doctor so he/she may make an informed decision as to the need for Vax-D therapy. Some doctors are not informed about Vax-D Therapy or may not be willing to recommend alternative options. The patient needs to play a part in the care they receive and also decide for themselves if they want to receive this treatment.
    
    
17. Q. Should I go see my doctor first?
    A. Many doctors are not aware of VAX-D Therapy and may consider it simple traction. For this reason, they can not determine if you are a candidate for this treatment. Our doctors are certified specialists in VAX-D Therapy and spinal biomechanics and therefore can accurately determine if you are a candidate for this treatment. We recommend that you come in for the initial consultation first to see if you are even a candidate for treatment in our office. This saves a lot of time for everyone involved. If we do not feel we can help you, we will let you know and refer you to a doctor who we feel could help you.
    
    
18. Q. Are you the only Vax-D provider in my area?
    A. To date, we are the only Vax-D center in Santa Clara County.
    
    
19. Q. Why should I choose Vax-D Therapy over other similar treatments?
    A. VAX-D Therapy is the originator of non-surgical spinal decompression, in the USA since 1991. It is FDA approved and has been clinically researched and tested in numerous hospitals. There are copycat devices that pretend to be the same as VAX-D units but they are not. They claim to be decompression tables. These imitation units use the VAX-D research to promote their table, yet they do not create the same results as the VAX-D unit. None of these devices have any research demonstrating that they have the ability to decompress the spinal disc. Nor, do any of the devices have clinical studies published in medical journals, yet, they all have the same stated success rate of 86%. Even though they claim to have the “latest, most advanced technology available”, these tables are based upon simple traction technology from the early 80’s. They do not create spinal decompression. Also, VAX-D Therapy should not be confused with chiropractic treatment tables which use a different technology and is not spinal decompression.
    
    
20. Q. If I’ve had back surgery, am I a candidate for Vax-D therapy?
    A. In most cases, yes. Many patients have found that VAX-D Therapy has reduced or eliminated their back and leg pain even after the failed back surgery. The exception is for cases where hardware was installed in the spine during surgery. In these cases, we can provide other options, such as, spinal biomechanics and/or pain management.
    
    
21. Q. Does Vax-D therapy result in a permanent recovery?
    A. The typical case does not require additional VAX-D treatments after the initial treatment program. Upon the completion of VAX-D Therapy, we recommend a spinal rehabilitation program to strengthen the muscles and ligaments in the area. This helps restore the full function of the spine and prevent recurrences. We have been using VAX-D Therapy since 1995, and in that time, most of the patients that have had successes have stayed in remission.
    
    
22. Q. Is there any risk of injury or risk of making my back worse with Vax-D Therapy?
    A. Absolutely not! It’s inherently safe. Unlike surgery, even if the VAX-D Therapy does not resolve the problem, your injury won’t be any worse.
    
    
23. Q. Why don’t other doctors use this therapy?
    A. This technology is on the leading edge of treatment for spinal problems. Many doctors may not be inclined to look for natural alternatives to back pain. Their training has been in treating conditions conventionally with medications and/or surgery. Another factor may be, that many doctors are not ready to make the substantial investment required to make this treatment available at their facility.
    
    
24. Q. How soon can I expect to feel relief? Is there any guarantee?
    A. Patients vary in their response time. Most patients experience some relief in the first few sessions. Like any other medical treatment, there is no guarantee. However, over 70% of the patients who have received VAX-D therapy fully resolved their problem and to date have stayed in remission. This is not a temporary solution for relief only.
    
    
25. Q. Can I try one treatment to see if it works for me?
    A. You can not base your success of VAX-D Therapy on one visit, as each session adds to the previous one. Symptoms don’t always disappear immediately. Even though your discs heal from session to session, the time it takes for symptoms to disappear varies from patient to patient. The doctor will determine the total number of sessions required for your condition.
    
    
26. Q. Should I check my insurance to see if I’m covered for Vax-D?
    A. We do not recommend that you check your insurance yourself to see if Vax-D is a covered service. There are specific billing codes that need to be checked with the insurance company and this is better performed by our insurance billing department. For most insurance companies this has already been done, so we may already know if your insurance company does cover this service. We will do a complimentary benefits check for you.
    
    
27. Q.What are my costs if I don't have insurance coverage?
    A. The initial consultation is at no charge. We will need to determine if you are a candidate for VAX-D. Once you are approved for Vax-D Therapy, we offer you 2 Free Trial sessions. VAX-D therapy is very affordable and most all of our patients can afford our care. Convenient payment options and discounts are also available. If you are not a candidate for VAX-D, we have other non-surgical treatment options that you may be eligible for.
    
    
28. Q. What is my next step?
    A. If you’re interested to find out if we can help you, your next step is to call and schedule your initial Consultation and Evaluation. You owe it to yourself to take advantage of this opportunity.
    
    Our office hours are:
    Monday through Friday: 11am-7pm
    
    Because there is a strong demand for this service, to make it convenient for our patients, we have set aside special appointment times for those who want to make an appointment the same or following day.
    
    Call 408-264-6644 today to schedule your appointment.
    
    
29. Q. What information do I need to bring on my first visit?
    A. If you have had an MRI and you have a copy of the report, we recommend you bring that with you. If you have had a work injury or an auto/personal injury, please bring any paperwork you may have regarding your injury.