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Vax-D Research

Summary of Peer Reviewed Published Studies on Vax-D

Journal of Neurosurgery: September 1994; Vol. 81
“Effects of Vertebral Axial Decompression on Intradiscal Pressure”

This was an important study because it demonstrated actual decompression of the lumbar discs utilizing a cannula and pressure transducer. Pressure in the discs was reduced to –150 mm. Hg. while on VAX-D. No other treatment can make this claim.

Neurological Research April 1998 Vol. 20
“Vertebral Axial Decompression Treatment for pain associated with herniated or degenerated discs or facet syndrome: An Outcome Study”

This is a 778 patient study that showed a 71% success rate utilizing VAX-D on unilevel and multilevel disc pathology. The 778 patients had unsuccessfully undergone treatments such as physical therapy and chiropractic prior to the study. The average duration of pain was 4 years. The authors concluded the following: “We consider it to be a front line treatment for degenerative spondylosis, facet syndrome, disc disease and non-surgical lumbar radiculopathy.

Canadian Journal of Clinical Medicine January 1999 Vol. 6 #1
“The effects of Vertebral Axial Decompression on Sensory Nerve Dysfunction”

The purpose of this study was to determine if VAX-D could externally decompress the nerve roots. Patients with radiculopathy and abnormal sensory function determined by a neurometer were studied after VAX-D treatment. Overall improvement was 67%, which is close to the 71% success rate evidenced in the large outcome study.

Neurological Research October 2001 Vol. 23
“A prospective randomized controlled study of VAX-D and TENS for the treatment of chronic low back pain”

This is a randomized study that compares VAX-D to a TENS unit. The reason the researchers chose a TENS unit is to negate the “placebo effect”. Unfortunately, it is impossible to perform a double blind study on VAX-D. The patient and researcher will know when the “sham” VAX-D treatment is performed. The TENS unit was used as the control/placebo. As you can see, not only did none of the patients demonstrate improvement of their symptoms with the TENS treatment, 13 of 21 actually got worse. This is in contrast to VAX-D patients, who demonstrated a success rate of 68.4%.

Neurological Research, October 2001,
“Dermatomal somatosensory evoked potential demonstration of nerve root decompression after VAX-D therapy”.

This second study appearing in the same journal involved performing DSSEPs on patients prior to and following VAX-D treatment. All patients showed improvement in DSSEPs after VAX-D treatment. Overall, 28 nerve roots were studied before and after treatment. Seventeen nerve root responses were improved, eight were unchanged and three deteriorated. The study shows that not only does VAX-D decompress the nerve roots, but it also raises the question of herniated discs being the sole cause of referred leg pain.

Neurological Research April 2004,
“Efficacy of vertebral axial decompression on chronic low back pain: study of dosage regimen”.

This study compares the effects of two dosage regimens of VAX-D treatments on the level of low back pain in patients who failed standard medical therapy. He compared patients receiving 10 treatments to those receiving 20 treatments. 76% of the 20 treatment group achieved remission while 43% of the 10 treatment group achieved remission.

Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy, January 2005,
“Short and Long Term Outcomes Following Treatment with the VAX-D for Patients with Chronic, Activity Limiting Low Back Pain”.

Again the authors concluded “this study provides preliminary evidence that the VAX-D protocol is associated with improvements in pain and activity-limitation in a sample of patients with unfavorable prognosis for recovery from chronic activity-limiting low back pain. Further study is needed using randomized comparison groups”.

American Association of Orthopedic Medicine, February 1999.

The inventor of VAX-D, Dr. Allan Dyer, discusses the mechanism of decompression, being a logarithmic function of time, as well as the misconceptions of this theory as well. He also reviews the differences between decompression and traction and how linear traction can increase the Intradiscal pressure rather than the necessary decrease. Dr. Dyer goes into great deal about Internal Disc Disruption and how chemical irritation from catabolites can cause the type of back and extremity pain expected with nerve root compression. He explains how VAX-D can improve oxygenation to the normally anaerobic disc and the resulting benefits that are achieved