What is IDD Therapy?
IDD Therapy is the latest, most effective non-invasive treatment for spinal disc problems, disc degeneration and associated pain from trapped nerves. We offer specialist IDD Therapy to patients across the Midlands and Greater Manchester.
IDD stands for Intervertebral Differential Dynamics Therapy. It can be best described as a new technologically advanced treatment that bridges the gap between manual therapy and surgery. It is non-invasive and pain-free.
IDD Therapy for Chronic Back Pain
We began offering IDD Therapy on March 31st 2016. At the time of writing (now September 2023), we have treated over 1,500 people using this technology in Derbyshire, Manchester and the surrounding counties.
Offering IDD (IDD is an acronym for ‘Intervertebral Differential Dynamics’) Therapy has been an incredibly satisfying experience for our clinic because it is a treatment that enables us to help patients who would not normally respond to manual therapy and exercise alone.
Osteopaths, like other manual therapists, help to resolve back pain issues on a daily basis. And yet there is a group of patients who just don’t get to a point of making progress. Typically we refer these patients on for pain management, which is incredibly frustrating when really our goal is to get people out of pain.
IDD Therapy is a treatment which enables us to help patients when they don’t respond to manual therapy and exercise alone. It allows us to treat targeted spinal segments in a precise, controlled manner and we use IDD Therapy within a programme of care.
If you live in and around Buxton and Derbyshire, have a back pain or neck pain problem, or symptoms in your legs or arms, then come for a second opinion from us and see how we can help you. If you are suitable, then we can take you through your options for treatment.
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Why choose IDD Therapy?
As clinicians, we can treat most back and neck pain with manual therapies, but for some conditions – particularly those that are disc related -patients need something more to help their condition to improve.
Reasons for choosing IDD Therapy include:
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Your current treatment is not working.
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You want to stop taking painkillers.
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You want longer term pain relief.
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You want to return to normal daily activities.
Typical candidates for IDD Therapy are people who have back or neck pain and may have tried other treatments without success. They may be taking pain medication and may be considering invasive treatments such as injection or, in extreme cases, surgery.
It allows us to treat targeted spinal segments in a precise, controlled manner. IDD offers a solution that is more potent than manual therapy, yet without the need for invasive surgery.
What does IDD Therapy treat?
Common conditions that we treat using IDD Therapy include slipped discs (also known as herniated or prolapsed discs or bulging discs). These are all terms that described the outward movement of the centre of the disc which then exerts pressure on the surrounding structures such as nerves or the spinal cord. This often leads to pain or pins and needles in the arms or legs.
IDD Therapy is also effective for degenerative discs (DDD). This describes the process whereby a disc dehydrates and loses fluid.
For a more comprehensive description of the common conditions we treat using IDD Therapy please click on this link.
How does IDD Therapy work?
IDD Therapy is a treatment tool that carefully decompresses and mobilises targeted spinal segments using computer controlled pulling forces to restore function and enable the body’s natural healing mechanisms to operate more efficiently. When a disc degenerates in this way it loses height which traps nerves and exerts more pressure on spinal joint.
If you suffer from chronic lower back pain, neck pain or pain from trapped nerves, and especially if you have a disc problem, our IDD Therapy programme is here to help you.
If you are unsure about your diagnosis, we can arrange private MRI scans within days for only £235. Contact us to find out more.
As specialists in helping back pain sufferers, we often see patients who need something more than manual therapy for conditions like sciatica or a herniated or bulging disc. IDD Therapy offers a solution that is more potent than manual therapy, without the need for invasive surgery.
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IDD Therapy FAQs
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Each IDD Therapy treatment lasts for one hour.
Sessions begin with 10 minutes of heat therapy, using a TherMedic belt, to warm the tissues and get blood-flow into the injured area.
You then have IDD Therapy, which lasts for 25 minutes, on the SPINA machine.
Afterwards we give you 10 minutes of cold therapy. This is just to calm the treated area before you go home. You remain comfortable throughout.
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Each session lasts for one hour and is billed as a one-hour osteopathy treatment.
The price is £65-£72 which is in line with standard treatment charges.
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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 10 sessions over a 4 to 5 week period. For patients with serious spine issues who are facing surgery, the original IDD Therapy protocol is based around an intensive course of 20 treatments.
There is no such thing as a cure-all for back pain, of course. If for any reason you are not responding to the treatment in the way that we would like, then we will advise you accordingly and stop the treatment.
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When patients have had back pain or neck pain for some time, their spinal segments become stiff and immobile. The discs in the spine rely on movement for their hydration and nutrition. To undo the compression and immobility of an injured disc, IDD Therapy uses computer-controlled pulling forces to open the spinal segment and then mobilise it. To do this we have to use comparatively higher forces than can be achieved with manual therapy. And we need to progressively increase the pulling forces to achieve the goals.
So, rather in the way that exercising requires more than one session for the body to adapt and become fitter/stronger, addressing the causes of chronic back pain means that the body has to gently adapt to treatment. This simply cannot be achieved overnight or in just a couple of sessions, hence the requirement for a course of treatment.
We would all like a simple solution but the reality is that improving chronic back pain takes time.
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If you have an MRI, bring it with you.
The MRI helps us to confirm the spinal level that we wish to treat and also the nature of the disc problem. This will help us to get a picture of the IDD Therapy protocol that 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.
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No, you remain fully clothed throughout. You can wear normal clothes, so long as they are comfortable.
Women should wear trousers, leggings or a loose-fitting tracksuit.
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No. The treatment is intended to be comfortable. Whilst considerable pulling forces are used, they are delivered in such a way that the body is comfortable. Much better than the traction machines of old.
Many patients go to sleep because the treatment is so relaxing. A by-product of treatment is the release of endorphins, so treatment feels good.
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Yes. The treatment is safe, with many patients going to sleep during their session.
The treatment progresses gently with the added reassurance that if at any time a patient does feel uncomfortable, they can press a treatment stop button. In such a case, the treatment stops smoothly.
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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 have finished 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.
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We will give you guidance as to what exercise is suitable.
Initially, we don’t want you to exercise because the body is getting used to the treatment, then there will be some simple exercises. Nothing too strenuous – and we don’t just send you on your way with a sheet of exercises!
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Spinal injections are given to help ease inflammation, which is a cause of pain. They are intended to create a window for rehabilitation.
An injection is not intended to address the problems of compression of discs or stiffness in the spine. Spinal injections are not a long-term solution for most patients.
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Patients who have had surgery can opt for IDD Therapy.
The two criteria are that the surgery was carried out six months previous and that there are no implants in the spine.
Talk to the team if you would like to discuss your spinal history.
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In the past 5 years over 37,000 treatments have been carried out in the UK alone.
IDD Therapy is the first choice non-invasive disc treatment when manual therapy is not working, in areas where it is available.
There are over 1,000 clinics internationally providing IDD Therapy, including surgeons, physiotherapists, osteopaths and chiropractors.
