Dr. Ho's Decompression Belt

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What is Dr. Ho's Decompression Belt?

Dr. Ho's Decompression Belt is a device claimed to offer relief from back pain by decompressing your spine.

Dr. Ho states that the Decompression Belt offers 2-in-1 relief; it supports your lower back and also stretches your spine to reduce pressure.

Specifically, his Decompression Belt is said to:

• Offer decompression through spinal traction
• Relieve inflammation and allow nutrients better access to the spine
• Support and strengthen your lower back
• Stretch tight muscles and ease stiffness
• Reduce the load of the upper body on your lower back

According to his site, Dr. Michael Ho is a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine and Acupuncture with over 30-years' experience helping people relieve pain. Part of his mission is to provide the tools necessary to achieve pain relief on your own, without the need for expensive medical treatments.

His Decompression Belt is just one option he offers. But is it the tool you need to relieve your back pain?

In this article, we'll discuss spinal decompression, review how the belt works, and highlight any pertinent scientific research that investigated the safety and efficacy of this product.

Vertebral Anatomy

Your spine, or vertebral column, is made up of a series of vertebrae. These are stacked on top of one another, forming a column that extends from your skull to your tailbone.

There are 3 segments, all with distinct features.

1. The 7 cervical spine vertebrae support your head.
2. The 12 thoracic spine vertebrae support your arms and trunk.
3. The 5 vertebrae in your lumbar spine bear much of your body weight.

Your vertebral column plays many essential roles. It transmits and protects your spinal cord. The column provides a point of attachment for many of your muscles and ligaments. It also works as a shock absorber, dispersing the forces placed on your body.

The intervertebral discs between each vertebra also work as shock absorbers and promote flexibility and mobility by keeping your vertebrae spaced appropriately.

As your lumbar spine bears the most weight, these discs are often affected the most. Over time, these discs can degenerate and cause pain.

Supposedly, this is where Dr. Ho's Decompression Belt may be able to offer relief.

How Does the Decompression Belt Work?

DR-Ho's Decompression Belt is an inflatable device that he claims can both support your lower back, as well as apply traction to your lumbar spine.

Spinal traction is synonymous with distracting or decompressing. It essentially means to apply forces that pull your vertebrae apart, rather than compress them. This action relieves the forces applied to your intervertebral discs.

Dr. Ho claims that his belt can offer relief in as little as 30-minutes. Though the belt is portable and offers convenience, there are many steps you should follow to ensure you maximize your benefits.

How to Use:

1. Place the fully deflated belt around your waist with the bottom of the belt cradling the top of your hip.
2. Close the metal-air valve on the belt by turning it clockwise.
3. Clip the air pump nozzle onto the metal-air valve on the belt tightly to prevent air leakage while pumping.
4. To pump, push all the way down and lift your foot off entirely with each stroke.
5. Once fully inflated, you will hear the air release from the safety air release valve on the foot pump.
6. At this point, remove the nozzle from the belt.
7. When you've finished your session, deflate the belt by turning the metal air valve counterclockwise.

While inflating the belt is thought to offer decompression, it doesn't always need to be used in this manner. When not inflated, Dr. Ho claims that his belt will act as a support brace by stabilizing and strengthening your lower back during activity.

Is There Any Science Backing These Claims?

As your lower back pain can be related to any number of sources, the available treatment can be just as variable. Often, this can include multiple doctor visits, medications, or even surgery.

Is there a more effective and less effective way of finding relief?

In this section, we'll review available research, if any, that supports the claims made by Dr. Ho regarding his Decompression Belt.

Spinal Decompression

Surgical decompression is the final destination for many with chronic low back pain. While these procedures have been well studied and seem to offer favorable outcomes, our literature review focused on the proposed benefits of nonsurgical decompression.

In 31 patients, those that received spinal decompression therapy for 30 minutes daily over 8-weeks experienced improved abdominal muscle function, as well as improved scores regarding the severity of their disc disease. The decompressive device was not an inflatable belt, however.

Another study used a device similar to Dr. Ho's belt to determine the ability to restore spinal height that is lost during exercises that place compressive forces upon the spine.

The belt used in this study restored spinal height after exercise quicker than the control group. These were healthy subjects, so pain measures were not investigated, however.

Another study examined the effects of a similar belt in 41 patients with chronic low back pain. They found that 43/41 patients treated with the decompression belt experienced subjective and clinical improvements, including reduced pain.

Keep in mind, these patients used the belt for 60-minutes 3 times each day over 5-weeks.

While both surgical and nonsurgical methods of spinal decompression have been researched, there are not many studies available that specifically looked at inflatable decompression belts similar to Dr. Ho's product.

The limited studies available that used comparable devices did offer promising results. However, one study included subjects without back pain while the other required use for 3 hours each day.

Safety

As braces are designed to relieve pain, you'd think that the chances of worsening your problem with use would be rare. These devices aren't without risks, however.

The good news is that the studies investigating the effects of belts similar to Dr. Ho's did not report any serious adverse effects, even with 3-hours of use per day.

Most often, the unwanted effects of wearing braces are related to poor fitting. If the fit isn't secure, you are unlikely to notice any relief. If the fit is too snug, you run the risk of damaging skin and impairing blood circulation.

Also, your core muscles are designed to support your spine. Thus, steps should be taken to improve their ability to do so, not prevent it.

Prolonged use of bracing serves to support your lower back, reducing the need for your core muscles to work. Over time this can actually weaken these muscles and further aggravate back pain.

Patients with acute lumbar injuries, spinal or pelvic fractures, and those with severe osteoporosis should not use the belt. Similarly, pregnant women and children should not use this device.

Lastly, inflating this device over wounds, fractured ribs, or if you have difficulty breathing may be harmful.

You should always speak with a physician before use to first determine the cause of your back pain. If the source is more serious, treatment beyond this belt may be required.

Dr. Ho's Decompression Belt Cost

The belt alone will run you $199.96 (Basic Package).

For $329.99, the Deluxe Package includes the belt as well as the following:

• Everything in the Basic Package
• Magic Heat Pad ($19.99 value)
• DR-HO'S Pain Therapy System Pro ($219.99 value)
• 8 Small Replacement Pads
• 2 Large Replacement Pads
• Travel Foot Therapy Pads
• Travel Bag

You can also opt for the Ultimate Package for $379.99 which includes the following:

• Everything in Deluxe Package
• DR-HO'S Pain Therapy Belt ($59.99 value)
• DR-HO'S Pain Therapy Belt Replacement Pads ($19.99 value)

You may be able to get your Decompression Belt at little to no cost. If you have Medicare, Dr. Ho recommends calling 1-(800)-437-2701 to see if you're pre-approved to have them cover your belt.

Lastly, you can return your belt for a full refund within 90-days if you are not satisfied. To process your return, call 1-888-373-8163 or email at drho@drhonow.com.

You can also obtain Dr. Ho's Decompression Belt on Amazon for $32.99 or $49.99, depending on your size. Either way, that is considerably cheaper than the pricing offered on Dr. Ho's site.

The Bottom Line

Decompression, whether surgical or nonsurgical, seems to be a viable option for relief depending on the cause and severity of your back pain.

Dr. Ho's belt is unlikely to relieve chronic and severe pain or pain associated with fractures, for example.

While various nonsurgical decompression methods have been tested, there aren't many studies that have tested inflatable belts. The results from studies that tested belts most similar to Dr. Ho's included healthy individuals or treatment regimens lasting 3-hours each day.

Therefore, you may not see much benefit if you're not in pain or if you are unable to dedicate 3-hours daily to wearing your Dr. Ho Decompression Belt.

The risk for harm is low when used as directed. Studies did not report adverse effects related to the belt, though be sure to determine the proper fit adequately.

Part of your pain may be related to your core muscles working inefficiently. If this is the case, simply wearing Dr. Ho's Decompression Belt won't solve the problem. In fact, prolonged use may even weaken these muscles further.

As there are a number of causes for low back pain, it's important first to identify the source. This involves seeking medical advice. Once you understand the source, you can discuss pain management with your doctor.