TJ Delorie works with countless sciatica patients here in our Otown office, and quite a few of these individuals were worried that they might require surgery to eliminate their pain. The most recent research reveals that a large number of people don't need surgery for this prevalent problem, and that chiropractic is more effective at clearing up sciatic nerve pain.
A popular surgery for sciatica is microdiscectomy, and in a 2010 study, researchers examined 80 women and men with sciatica who were referred for this procedure.
Forty patients were then randomly sorted into one of two groups. The first group was to receive surgical microdiscectomy and the second group received chiropractic care.
Both groups improved; however, no obvious difference in outcome was reported one year post-treatment between either group. Furthermore, roughly 60 percent of the participating subjects 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 delivered the same positive benefits as surgery without needing to go through the greater levels of surgery-based pain or suffer through lengthy recovery times often affiliated with that specific treatment method. Plus, you also don't run the risks associated with surgical microdiscectomy, including nerve root damage, bowel or bladder incontinence, bleeding, or infection.
Surgery should be the last resort for sciatica pain. If you live in Otown and you're being affected by back pain or sciatica, give TJ Delorie a call today at 724-123-1234. We'll help identify the start 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.