DRX9000 Military Medicine Study: 90.5% Reported Less Pain

A 2025 study in Military Medicine reviewed 267 patient records from seven clinics that used non-surgical spinal decompression for low back pain. The result was hard to ignore: pain fell by about 64% on average, from 6.9 to 2.5, and 90.5% of patients with recorded pain scores felt less pain. Strength, sensation, reflexes, walking, sitting, and standing also improved. For people looking for a serious non-surgical option, this is meaningful evidence that DRX9000 treatment deserves a closer look.

Pain fell by about 64% on average

Among the 220 records with standard pain scores, the average starting score was 6.9 out of 10. After care, the average was 2.5. That works out to an average reduction of about 64%. Only 1% reported more pain, while 90.5% reported less pain.

This was not a tiny change that only looked good on paper. The average moved from a high pain level to a much lower one, and the improvement appeared across patients with both newer and long-standing low back pain.

Did anything improve besides pain?

Yes. The study also looked at nerve-related examination findings. Among patients who had a problem recorded before care:

• 60.9% improved on reflex testing.
• 74.8% improved on strength testing linked to spinal nerves.
• 77.6% improved on sensation testing linked to spinal nerves.

Daily life improved too. Among people whose activities were affected before treatment:

• 79.8% improved in walking.
• 72.6% improved in sitting or standing.
• Most of the other measured activities, including dressing, bathing, household chores, and using the bathroom, also improved.

That pattern is important. Patients did not report less pain while everything else stayed the same. Pain, nerve-related findings, movement, and daily function all moved in a favorable direction.

Why this study should matter to patients

Testimonials can tell you what happened to one person. This study looked across hundreds of records and seven clinics. It found the same broad pattern in pain, nerve function, and everyday activity. That makes the evidence much more useful for someone deciding whether spinal decompression is worth evaluating.

No study can promise the same result for every person. What this one does show is that non-surgical spinal decompression produced strongly positive results across a substantial real-world group. It belongs in the conversation before someone assumes injections or surgery are the only paths left.

What is DRX9000 spinal decompression?

The DRX9000 is FDA-cleared powered traction equipment. The patient lies on the table while the system delivers controlled, programmed traction to the targeted part of the lower spine. It is non-surgical, so there is no incision or anesthesia.

A treatment plan is built around the condition, examination findings, and response to care. The study's middle treatment count was 20 sessions, which gives patients a useful real-world benchmark without turning it into a one-size-fits-all rule.

How Madalian Wellness uses this evidence

At Madalian Wellness in Wayne, Dr. Henry Madalian brings more than 38 years of clinical experience to the evaluation. He looks at how the symptoms travel, checks strength, sensation, reflexes, and movement, uses a Gonstead-based biomechanical examination, and considers existing MRI or X-ray information. This helps identify the people most likely to benefit from true DRX9000 spinal decompression and build care around the actual problem.

One of the practice's key advantages is the ability to use a two-part approach when the case calls for it. Precise Gonstead chiropractic care addresses spinal mechanics and alignment, while the DRX9000 delivers targeted lumbar decompression. For neck and arm problems, the office also has the DRX9000C for true cervical decompression. In the office's experience, combining the right hands-on care with the right decompression system can be a powerful one-two approach.

If a bulging or herniated disc, sciatica, degenerative disc disease, or another lumbar disc problem is limiting daily life, the next step is not guessing from an MRI label. It is finding out whether the symptoms and examination fit. Patients can also read our guide to bulging, herniated, and slipped-disc terminology or learn what to expect from DRX9000 spinal decompression in Wayne.

A brief note about the study

This was a review of real patient charts, not a randomized trial. Some patients also received other care, and the study did not track long-term results. Funding came from the Florida High-Tech Corridor in partnership with Excite Medical, with additional support from two other organizations. The authors declared no conflicts of interest. These points support doing more research, but they do not take away from the strongly positive results that were recorded.

Full study citation

Schueren S, Luginsland LA, Ariza Medina G, Schilaty ND. Retrospective Chart Review of Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression as a Therapeutic Modality for Low Back Pain. Military Medicine. 2025;190(Supplement_2):134-140. doi:10.1093/milmed/usaf116. Read the full journal article at Oxford Academic.