Spinal decompression therapy uses computer-controlled, intermittent traction to take pressure off a bulging or herniated disc and the nerve it is pressing on. Sessions last 15 to 30 minutes, are comfortable enough that patients sometimes doze off, and are paired with adjustments and rehab so the…
The intellectual heart of Cambridge, Harvard Square buzzes with students, academics, and tourists year-round. Long study sessions, heavy backpacks, and the physical demands of university life take a measurable toll on spinal health in this neighborhood. For Harvard Square residents, spinal decompression therapy at Bromberg Chiropractic means working directly with Dr. Bromberg, not an associate or technician. Our office is just 7 minutes from Harvard Square, making consistent, doctor-led care realistic even with a busy schedule.
Red Line to Kendall/MIT (1 stop, 4 min). Bus 1 down Mass Ave. A quick bike ride or 20-minute walk along the river. The drive from Harvard Square takes approximately 7 minutes. Free street parking and metered spots are available on Broadway and surrounding streets.
Address: 201 Broadway, First Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139
Phone: (617) 494-1166
Your first visit centers on an accurate diagnosis, because effective treatment depends entirely on getting that right. For spinal decompression therapy, treatment is staged: calm the symptoms first, restore normal function next, then build the strength that keeps the problem from returning. We keep Harvard Square patients informed at every step, with clear goals and honest timelines. The trip is just 7 minutes from Harvard Square.
We see it every week. Graduate students and faculty spend intensive hours reading and writing, often with poor ergonomics. The resulting neck strain, headaches, and lower back pain are among the most common complaints we see from this area. Dr. Bromberg factors your work, commute, and activity level into every recommendation, because a treatment plan that ignores how you actually live rarely holds.
Spinal decompression therapy uses computer-controlled, intermittent traction to take pressure off a bulging or herniated disc and the nerve it is pressing on. Sessions last 15 to 30 minutes, are comfortable enough that patients sometimes doze off, and are paired with adjustments and rehab so the relief holds. It is the core of how we treat disc injuries and sciatica without surgery.
Conveniently serving Harvard Square patients from our 201 Broadway, First Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139 location.
You lie on a specialized table, comfortably clothed, with a harness that targets one spinal segment. The table applies gentle, cyclic stretching, easing tension on and off in a controlled rhythm. That cycling creates a slight vacuum inside the targeted disc, which draws displaced disc material back toward the center and away from the irritated nerve, and pulls water, oxygen and nutrients into tissue that otherwise has a poor blood supply. Because the tension comes and goes, the protective muscle guarding that plain sustained traction provokes does not kick in. Decompression is rarely used alone: Dr. Bromberg combines it with adjustments, soft tissue work and a short home exercise program.
15 to 30 minutes
12 to 20 sessions over about 6 weeks
2 to 3 visits a week at first, tapering as you improve
Adjustments, soft tissue work and home exercises
Call (617) 494-1166 for the current self-pay rate. We quote the full course, not just the first visit, so you know the number before you start.
Disc tissue heals slowly, so this is a course, not a single visit. Here is the usual shape of it for an appropriate candidate. Your own timeline is set at your evaluation and revised on real progress.
Radiating leg or arm pain, numbness or tingling, pain that gets worse with sitting, bending or coughing. Exam or imaging findings consistent with a disc bulge, herniation or degeneration. Often months of rest, medication or local treatment that has not changed anything.
Sessions two to three times a week, each paired with an adjustment. Most appropriate candidates notice the first meaningful change here: less intensity, shorter flare-ups, sitting that is easier to tolerate.
Radiating symptoms typically retreat toward the spine, a sign the nerve is under less pressure. Visits taper. Rehab exercises take a bigger share of each session so the change holds once the table work stops.
A re-evaluation confirms what resolved and what, if anything, still needs attention. The home program continues. Patients who keep up the exercises hold their results best; a short tune-up course later is uncommon but available.
Relieves pressure on a herniated or bulging disc without surgery or injections
Takes the load off the nerve root behind sciatica and radiating arm pain
Rehydrates thinned, degenerated discs that heal slowly on their own
Comfortable, 15 to 30 minute sessions with no downtime
For over 40 years, Dr. Bromberg has provided chiropractic care in Cambridge, MA. He personally evaluates and treats every patient, combining adjustments, muscle therapy, and modern technology for lasting results.
Meet Dr. Bromberg →"Dr. Bromberg found the root cause of my lower back pain on my first visit. After three adjustments, I felt like a new person. 40 years of experience really shows."
Lower back pain, 3 sessions
"My sciatica was so bad I couldn't sit at my desk. Dr. Bromberg identified a disc issue and put together a treatment plan that had me pain-free in five weeks."
Sciatica and disc herniation
"I was in a car accident and thought I'd need surgery. Dr. Bromberg's rehab program got me back to normal without a single operation. The insurance paperwork was painless too."
Auto accident whiplash recovery
Decompression is billed per session, with no package to buy up front. Call (617) 494-1166 for the current self-pay rate. When your plan covers it you pay only your copay or deductible share, and we verify that before you start.
Most courses run 12 to 20 sessions over about six weeks, two to three times a week at first and tapering as you improve. Dr. Bromberg sets the number from your exam and adjusts it on real progress, so a case that responds quickly finishes sooner.
No. Traction pulls steadily, which makes the muscles around the spine tense up and guard. Decompression is computer-controlled and cycles the tension on and off, which keeps the muscles relaxed and creates the negative pressure inside the disc that does the work.
It should not. Most patients describe a gentle pulling sensation, and some fall asleep on the table. If a session is uncomfortable, the settings are wrong and we change them.
It is avoided with spinal fractures, severe osteoporosis, spinal tumors or infections, certain surgical hardware such as fusions or artificial discs, abdominal aortic aneurysm, and pregnancy. That is why every course starts with an evaluation and, where needed, imaging.
Often, when it is part of a treatment plan for a diagnosed disc condition, though some plans classify it separately. We check your specific benefits before the first session. Auto accident injuries are typically covered under Massachusetts PIP regardless of fault.
We're about 7 minutes from Harvard Square at 201 Broadway, First Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139. Red Line to Kendall/MIT (1 stop, 4 min). Bus 1 down Mass Ave. A quick bike ride or 20-minute walk along the river.
You don't need one. Massachusetts allows direct access to chiropractic care, so Harvard Square patients can schedule with Dr. Bromberg without a physician referral.
Yes. We accept most major insurance plans and verify your benefits before treatment so there are no surprises. If your spinal decompression therapy stems from a car accident, it's typically covered under Massachusetts PIP, regardless of fault.
In many cases we can fit you in the same day. Reach us at (617) 494-1166, and we'll work to get you seen quickly, even on short notice from Harvard Square.
After four decades treating Greater Boston patients, Dr. Bromberg has earned a reputation among Harvard Square residents for honesty as much as results. He'll tell you what spinal decompression therapy can realistically achieve, how long it should take, and when a different specialist would serve you better. Graduate students and faculty spend intensive hours reading and writing, often with poor ergonomics. The resulting neck strain, headaches, and lower back pain are among the most common complaints we see from this area. That candor, plus same-day availability and most insurance accepted, is why patients keep coming back.
Local Health Note: Graduate students and faculty spend intensive hours reading and writing, often with poor ergonomics. The resulting neck strain, headaches, and lower back pain are among the most common complaints we see from this area.
Ready to get started? No referral needed. We serve patients from Harvard Square.
Or call directly:
(617) 494-1166Dr. Bromberg's team will reach out within one business day. In-person & virtual available.