Chiropractic More Effective for Sciatica Than Surgery

Northside Chiropractic works with many sciatica patients here in our Port Coquitlam office, and many of these men and women were afraid that they might need surgery to alleviate their pain. The most recent research reveals that a large number of people don't require surgery for this widespread issue, and that chiropractic is more successful at solving sciatic nerve pain.

A common surgery for sciatica is microdiscectomy, and in a 2010 study, physicians examined 80 individuals 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 was given chiropractic care.

Both groups improved; however, no noticeable difference in outcome was reported one year post-treatment between either group. Additionally, roughly 60 percent of the participating patients who could not find assistance from any other treatment approach "benefited from spinal manipulation to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention."

Put another way, chiropractic offered the same positive advantages as surgery without needing to go through the higher levels of surgery-based pain or suffer through extended 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 Port Coquitlam and you're being affected by back pain or sciatica, give Northside Chiropractic a call today at (604) 941-4596. 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.