Chiropractic Better for Sciatica Than Surgery

Dr. Elganainy works with countless sciatica patients here in our Burton office, and quite a few of these patients were concerned that they might need surgery to alleviate their pain. The most recent research shows that a large number of people don't require surgery for this prevalent issue, and that chiropractic is more effective at solving sciatic nerve pain.

A typical surgery for sciatica is microdiscectomy, and in a 2010 study, physicians looked at 80 patients 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 results was recorded one year post-treatment between the surgery group and the chiropractic group. In addition, about 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."

In other words, chiropractic delivered the same positive benefits as surgery without having to endure the greater amounts of surgery-based pain or suffer through lengthy 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.

Surgery should be the last option for sciatica pain. If you live in Burton and you're suffering from back pain or sciatica, give Dr. Elganainy a call today at (810) 715-7746. 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.