Chiropractic More Effective for Sciatica Than Surgery

Kauffman Chiropractic works with countless sciatica patients here in our Loveland office, and many of these men and women were worried that they might require surgery to relieve their pain. The latest research shows that a large number of people don't require surgery for this common problem, and that chiropractic is more beneficial at clearing up sciatic nerve pain.

A common surgery for sciatica is microdiscectomy, and in a 2010 study, researchers looked at 80 individuals with sciatica who were referred for this operation.

Forty patients were then randomly placed in one of two groups. The first group was to receive surgical microdiscectomy and the second group was given chiropractic care.

Both groups improved; however, no noticeable difference in results was reported one year post-treatment between the surgery group and the chiropractic group. Additionally, roughly sixty percent of the participating patients who could not find assistance from any other treatment method "benefited from spinal manipulation to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention."

Put another way, chiropractic provided the same positive benefits as surgery without having to undergo the greater amounts of surgery-based pain or suffer through lengthy recovery times often affiliated with that type of treatment choice. Plus, you also don't run the risks affiliated with surgical microdiscectomy, which includes nerve root damage, bowel or bladder incontinence, bleeding, or infection.

Surgery should be the last resort for sciatica pain. If you live in Loveland and you're suffering from back pain or sciatica, give Kauffman Chiropractic a call today at (513) 444-4529. We'll help determine the source of your pain and work hard to get you relief.

References

• McMorland, G et al. Manipulation or microdiskectomy for sciatica? A prospective randomized clinical study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2010;33(8):576-584.
• Solberg TK, Nygaard OP, Sjaavik K, Hofoss D, Ingebrigtsen T. The risk of "getting worse" after lumbar microdiscectomy. European Spine Journal 2005;14(1):49-54.