What is a Y-strap adjustment?

A Y-strap adjustment is a form of spinal manipulation in which manual axial traction is applied to the cervical spine (your neck) to release stuck joints and any nerve pressure that is causing neck pain. Applying axial force to the cervical spine is similar to lumbar spine (lower back) decompression therapy that is applied to the lumbar spine on a table called a spinal decompression table.

What is the difference between a Y-strap fit and spinal neck decompression therapy?

The difference between Y-strap adjustment and spinal neck decompression therapy is that Y-strap adjustment occurs within a few seconds when the procedure is applied to the patient by the physician. With spinal decompression therapy, this form of therapy occurs for several minutes, usually 15 to 20 minutes per session on a decompression table.

A Y-strap adjustment is a procedure when the chiropractor pulls on your neck, while spinal decompression therapy is a procedure when a machine, such as a decompression table or cervical traction device, pulls on your neck.

Either procedure causes the release of compressed discs and pinched nerves. The patient then experiences the sensation of pain relief and neck relaxation. After a Y-strap adjustment, the patient immediately feels good about himself and his spine.

What’s that loud crunch on a Y-strap fit?

That sound you hear every time a chiropractor manipulates your neck is called cavitation. Cavitation is the sound produced by the sudden escape of gas from synovial fluid from the synovial joints in the spine. This sound is similar to that produced when you open a soda can. When the doctor applies manual axial traction to your spine, those popping noises you hear are cavitations.

Can a Y-strap adjustment help my herniated disc?

Yes it can. But first, the doctor will have to determine if you have a herniated disc by doing a physical, orthopedic, and / or neurological exam. If necessary, they will refer you to an imaging study, such as an MRI or CT scan, to confirm the suspicion of a herniated disc.

Once the herniated disc is located, they will recommend appropriate treatment such as chiropractic, spinal decompression, Y-strap adjustment, electrotherapy, or any combination.

What happens to a herniated disc when a manual axial traction procedure is performed?

Stretching the spine will help reshape the herniated disc to its proper shape, usually over several visits. By applying manual axial traction (or Y-belt adjustment), a vacuum is created within the disc which, in turn, will absorb nutrients and water molecules that you would not get if your discs were compressed or herniated. Think if this vacuum action is like sucking on a straw. When you suck on a straw, a negative pressure builds up inside the straw, so liquid is drawn into the straw to fill it.

Who is a candidate for this form of spinal decompression?

Anyone showing signs of neck pain, low back pain, sharp, stabbing pain in arms and hands or legs and feet, sciatic-type pain, pain due to herniated discs, and / or headache may be a candidate.