🎙 Episode 54 – Red Flags That Tell You a Patient Is Not a Good Candidate for Spinal Decompression

In this episode of The Practice Builders Podcast, Dr. Pankonin breaks down six major red flags doctors should watch for when selecting spinal decompression patients.

Successful decompression starts with proper patient selection. An MRI may show disc degeneration, bulges, or stenosis, but that does not automatically mean the patient is a good candidate. The MRI must match the patient’s symptoms, history, and exam findings.

He also discuss why doctors need to set realistic expectations, screen for psychological and compliance barriers, and look at the bigger picture when patients have significant comorbidities like obesity, smoking, poor conditioning, or lifestyle factors that may limit results.

Key topics incl ...