Chiropractic Spinal Adjustments Found Effective and More Economical Than Epidural during Treatment of Herniated Disc Diagnosis

Herniated discs have annoyed numerous clients that have visited our Stacy office. Fortunately, Dr. Ulvin has helped most of them recover swiftly and more adequately. Herniated discs, also known as "slipped discs", can be treated with several different approaches.

If you are experiencing irritation because of a herniated disc, then you may be querying which choice will work best for you. To support you in solving that search, let's review two of the most commonly employed treatment options: chiropractic/manipulative therapy and lumbar nerve root injection/epidural.

Study Analyses Results from Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) and Nerve Root Injections (NRI)

A group of researchers from Switzerland recruited 102 individuals, all having had chronically herniated discs verified by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Each participant picked had already received three months of care through alternatively accessible treatment options without achieving success.

The body of participants was divided into two groups. The first half of the cohorts were treated with high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulation treatment (chiropractic treatments). The next half of individuals were treated with nerve root injections (epidural).

The researchers collected ratings regarding the pain levels of every individual before the remedy provided amid the study. Then, 30 days following the receiving of treatment, individuals scored their disc herniation pain on the same range as at the beginning. The change in the two ratings was used to measure how useful the intervention was for relieving pain.

What did the research conclude in regards to chiropractic adjustments against epidurals?

Over 76 percent of the patients who engaged in chiropractic treatments reported an improvement in their discomfort. In the other half, not quite 63 percent of the patients who were provided epidurals expressed an improvement in discomfort. These scores suggest that chiropractic adjustments could possibly be more effective when looking to remediate herniated disc discomfort.

And, there’s more. In addition to granting a larger number of people some much needed relief from pain, researchers also identified that chiropractic care was more cost-effective. Epidural treatments cost about $730 for each individual. Chiropractic treatment cost just under $560 for the same period of time. This cost savings could surely assist with one’s medical expenses. A lower cost may make it feasible to obtain treatment for your disc herniation pain without additional anxiety.

If you are interested in a better probability of pain relief and fewer expenses associated with your herniated disc treatment, give Dr. Ulvin a call today at (651) 462-3243 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