In this video, Dr. Mandel demonstrates a simple and effective technique for relieving spinal pain and discomfort. Using only a medium-sized towel roll and two pillows (or one if unavailable), Dr. Mandel shows how to decompress the spine and alleviate pressure on the nerves. This technique is especially beneficial for individuals with issues such as muscle contraction, disc herniation, degenerative joint disease, and posture-related problems caused by smartphones, sitting for extended periods, or excessive weight. By positioning the body on the bed with a pillow under the abdomen and using the towel roll to pull the head forward, the spine is able to experience complete decompression, providing relief and promoting mobility. The technique is safe, cost-effective, and can be performed for a few minutes each day to make a positive impact on spinal health.
Key Insights:
- This technique is beneficial for people with spinal involvement, including nerve irritation, muscle contraction, disc bulging, and degenerative joint disease.
- All you need for this technique is a medium-sized towel roll, two pillows (although one may suffice), and a bed.
- The technique involves distracting or pulling apart the spine to release pressure on the nerves and restore normal function.
- Common issues that can be addressed with this technique include forward head posture from smartphone use, excessive weight on the lower back, and sitting for long hours.
- The technique is safe, does not require force, and utilizes gravity.
- To perform the technique, place a pillow under the abdominal area, let the feet hang off the bed, and rest the rolled towel under the occiput (back of the skull).
- While lying face down, pull the head forward with the towel as the lower spine moves downward, creating decompression throughout the spine.
- If one pillow is tolerable, adding a second pillow can provide a greater stretch and decompression.
- Hold each stretch for about a minute and repeat multiple times if comfortable.
- This technique can benefit those with chronic neck, mid-back, and lower back issues, as well as sciatica.
- Performing the technique for a few minutes each day can lead to significant improvements in spine health.
- Share the video with others and leave comments about your experience.
Transcript
Welcome everyone, Dr. Mandel here. This video is going to be very special to all those people worldwide who have any kind of spinal involvement, particularly irritation on the nerves, muscle contraction, discernation, dis bulging, degenerative joint disease. This technique is going to be really interesting. All you’re going to need is a medium-sized towel roll, hold it up like a snake, and two pillows. And if you don’t have two, one may do.
What we’re going to do is we’re going to distract the spine, not only the neck but also the lower back, the entire spine. We’re going to allow the joints of our spine to pull apart, taking pressure off the nerves, putting mobility and motion in it, and restoring normal function.
Now, these problems are most commonly seen with those who spend lots of time looking down on their smartphone with that forward head posture, as well as those people who are overweight. That excessive weight puts compression on the lower back, compressing the discs, which can lead to disc herniations, bulging, and degeneration.
And what about those who spend lots of time in a sitting position? Sitting long hours on a chair working, or maybe just sitting on that sofa, spending hours and hours watching TV?
Now, what I’m about to share with you, you’re going to love. Why? Because you do it on your bed, it costs zero dollars, it’s extremely effective, it’s safe, and we’re using gravity. So there is nothing forceful that’s going to hurt your spine.
So let me show you the simple biomechanics of what you’re going to be doing to your spine. By putting a pillow underneath the abdominal area, we’re causing flexion, particularly in the thoracic, mid-back, and lower back, the lumbar spine. We’re opening up the vertebrae between each other, taking pressure off the discs and those nerves.
With the pelvic hanging off and the lower extremities hanging off the bed, that weight is going to decompress, pulling apart or distracting the lower lumbar area, taking more pressure off those nerve roots.
Now, at the same time, when we’re lying face down, we’re going to take this rolled-up snake towel we talked about earlier, and it’s going to go underneath the occiput. So as it goes underneath, we’re going to be pulling outwards towards our head, forward, pulling the head forward as the lower spine is going downward. That way, we’re going to get total decompression throughout the spine, using gravity. Extremely safe and yet very effective.
So let’s make some positive changes. Take the edge of that pillow, which should be about a foot or so away from the edge of the bed. Put your knees up on the bed like this, put the pillow underneath your abdominal, lower pelvic area just like this. Let your feet hang off as much as possible, do not allow your feet to touch the ground.
Now, we’re going to grab the towel and put it behind our skull or occiput like this. Bring your chin down to your sternum, to your chest, and I want you to take your hands and pull outwards. Good, you should feel nice tugging and pulling underneath the back of the skull, along the neck and upper back, and you’ll feel the lower back really stretching open.
This is opening up the entire spine. Let those legs continue to dangle off the bed, do not touch the floor. Go as low as you can to where those feet don’t touch the floor, to where you get that good traction in that lower back, really, really beautiful.
Continue to pull outwards with your hands as you’re stretching outwards on the neck, opening up those discs, taking pressure off the nerves, as we get that total beautiful stretch along the whole entire spine.
If you had no problem stretching your lower back with one pillow, now you could put an additional one. You’ll feel much more of a stretch. Let me show you. The other pillow goes on top. We’re going to lean over, over the abdominal area, lower pelvic, and now I have more of a decline in my lower back. Those legs are dropping down much further, I feel much more of a stretch.
Take the towel, put it behind the skull, elbows on the bed, pull outward. And now, what a tremendous change when it comes down to that lower back. Both of these stretches are very effective, but if, if you can use one pillow with no problem, try two, and you’ll get much more of a stretch because now we’re going down with gravity much further down. Beautiful.
And you’ll hold each stretch up to a minute, and you can do several stretches as long as your body allows you to do so.
So, for all those people worldwide who are suffering from chronic neck, mid-back, and lower back problems, as well as sciatica, start doing this technique just a few minutes a day, and this can make great changes for your spine and health.
Please share this video with your friends and family, leave your comments below, and most importantly, make it a great day.
