Axial Decompression

VAX-D therapy for the management of low back pain (LBP) uses a computer-driven table to control the level of disc decompression.

Although results from an early uncontrolled, retrospective study (Gose et al, 1998) regarding the benefits of the VAX-D table appeared to be encouraging, the findings need to be validated in prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trials because the study was poorly designed.  In addition, there has been no follow-up publication indicating whether any reported improvements were temporary or permanent.  Thus, there is still insufficient scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of the VAX-D table in treating patients with LBP associated with herniated discs and degenerative disc problems.  The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Technology Advisory Committee did not recommend coverage of the VAX-D system because of the absence of scientific data on its effectiveness.

A subsequent randomized study (Sherry et al, 2001) compared VAX-D to transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in the treatment of patients with chronic (greater than 3 months in duration) LBP.  Successful outcome was defined as a 50 % decrease in pain using the visual analog pain scale and an improvement in the level of functioning as measured by patient-nominated disability ratings.  The TENS-treated group (n = 21) reported a success rate of 0 %, while the group treated with VAX-D (n = 19) showed a success rate of 68.4 %.  It is difficult to conclude from this study that VAX-D is effective in treating chronic back pain since detailed statistics regarding the outcomes for each group were not included in the analysis.  Furthermore, patients were not blinded to the treatment received, thus, there may have been a negative placebo effect in the TENS-treated group.

Welcome to VAX-D Medical Technologies, the developer of VAX-D, the non-surgical treatment for chronic back and neck pain. It has become a standard of care for chronic spinal pain, and a leading alternative to surgery.

The treatment is an effective, safe and cost-effective procedure without the risks associated with drugs, surgery, injections or anesthesia. VAX-D treatment is backed by years of clinical research studies, and the only back and neck treatment that uses the patented smooth logarithmic curve method to distract the spine.

Our new Genesis technology with multi-axis motion control and ‘biofeedback’ is light years ahead of the other decompression systems.

The VAX-D^® Therapeutic Table is a motorized traction device used to stretch the lower back. (VAX-D is an acronym for vertebral axial decompression.) The device is a two-part table in which the upper part is fixed to the table frame and the lower part slides back and forth to provide intermittent traction. The patient is anchored to the lower part by a pelvic harness. United States patents have been issued for the table [1], the harness [2], and the table's operation [3]. The picture to the right shows the VAX-D control unit and table. 

 VAX-D therapy is usually provided in an outpatient setting for the purpose of relieving back pain. Its providers—chiropractors, medical and osteopathic physicians, and physical therapists—commonly recommend 20 sessions of 30-45 minutes, with a total cost of several thousand dollars. During the treatment, the patient lies face-down with the upper part of the body on the stationary portion of the table, with arms overhead, grasping handles attached to the this part of the table. 

A pneumatic cylinder drives the two parts of the table apart and together to provide gradual stretching alternating with relaxation. A typical cycle includes a minute of each [4]. The patient can limit the amount of traction by releasing the handles if too much discomfort occurs. The structures of the back include the spinal bones (vertebrae), their joints, the discs between the vertebrae, and the muscles and ligaments that hold these structures together. The intervertebral discs, which serve as cushions between the vertebrae, are composed of cartilage with a gelatinous-like center called the nucleus pulposus. 

Discs can become damaged so that they bulge or tear. If a tear is large enough, the gelatinous material can leak out, a condition referred to as a herniated or "ruptured" disc, which can press against a spinal nerve and cause pain and loss of nerve function. Ordinary traction in which a steady stretching force is applied to the pelvis using weights and pulleys has not been proven effective against back pain [5,6]. VAX-D's intermittent traction can be effective for pain associated with bulging discs. However, manual manipulation, which costs far less, is equally effective. No type of traction has proven effective for herniated discs [7], which often require surgery. Although the VAX-D Therapeutic Table has FDA approval as a traction device, it is illegal to claim that it can correct a herniated disc.