Chiropractic Therapy Superior for Sciatica Than Surgery

Dr. Olson works with countless sciatica patients here in our Port Coquitlam office, and quite a few of these patients were afraid that they might need surgery to alleviate their pain. The latest research indicates that many people don't need surgery for this prevalent issue, and that chiropractic treatment is more beneficial at solving sciatic nerve discomfort.

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

Forty patients were then randomly placed in one of two groups. The first group received surgical microdiscectomy and the second group received chiropractic treatment.

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

In other words, chiropractic care provided the same positive advantages as surgery without needing to undergo the greater amounts of surgery-based pain or suffer through extended recovery times often affiliated with that specific treatment choice. Plus, you also don't run the risks associated with surgical microdiscectomy, which includes nerve root damage, bowel or bladder incontinence, bleeding, or infection.

We Can Help Clients Find Relief From Sciatica Pain

Surgery should be the last resort for sciatica pain. If you live in Port Coquitlam and you're suffering from back pain or sciatica, give Dr. Olson a call today at (604) 941-4596. We'll help identify the source of your discomfort and work hard to get you relief and living pain free.

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.