Chiropractic Spinal Adjustments Shown as Effective and Cheaper Than Epidural for Treating Herniated Disc Patients

Herniated discs have bothered uncounted patients that have visited our Memphis practice. Fortunately, Dynamic Chiropractic has assisted many of them bounce back quickly and more completely. Herniated discs, or "slipped discs", can be treated with several different methods.

If you are suffering with irritation because of a herniated disc, then you are likely querying which choice will provide the best outcome for you. To support you in fielding that query, let's assess two of the most commonly selected treatment options: chiropractic and lumbar nerve root injection/epidural.

A Study Compares Improvements from Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) and Nerve Root Injections (NRI)

A body of researchers studied 102 participants, all of whom had chronically herniated discs validated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Every person selected had previously received 90 days of treatment through other applicable remedies without achieving satisfaction.

The pool of people being studied was split into two treatment paths. One half of the cohorts were treated with high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulation treatment (chiropractic treatments). The remaining half of patients were provided nerve root injections (epidural).

The organizers of the study obtained scores about the pain levels of every person before the remedy administered at the time of the study. Then, one month after care, participants reported their disc herniation pain on the same scoring system as at the beginning. The difference between the two scores was used to determine how effective the care may have been for improving discomfort.

What did the study find about spinal adjustments against nerve root injections?

Over 76 percent of the patients who were administered chiropractic care scored a positive change in their pain. On the other hand, less than 63% of the individuals who were given epidurals indicated a reduction in pain. These figures imply that chiropractic adjustments could possibly be more effective for treating to resolve herniated disc discomfort.

And, that is not all. In addition to giving a higher count of individuals greatly appreciated relief from pain, researchers also uncovered that chiropractic care was more affordable. The epidural treatments approximately cost $730 for each individual. The chiropractic care was approximately $560 for the same duration. This amount of savings could surely help with anyone’s medical expenses. Saving money can make it more viable to look for treatment for your disc herniation pain without extra worry.

If you would like a higher probability of pain relief and lesser costs associated with your herniated disc care, give Dynamic Chiropractic a call today at (901) 757-8311 to schedule an appointment.

Reference

Peterson, CK et al. (2013, May). Symptomatic magnetic resonance imaging-confirmed lumbar disk herniation patients: a comparative effectiveness prospective observational study of 2 age-and sex-matched cohorts treated with either high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulative therapy or image-guided lumbar nerve root injections. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 36(4), 218-225, doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2013.04.005