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

Herniated discs have tormented many people that have been treated in our San Angelo office. Fortunately, Dr. Pittman has helped plenty of them bounce back swiftly and more completely. Herniated discs, also known as "slipped discs", can be treated with a handful of remedies.

If you are feeling pain caused by a herniated disc, then you are likely querying which selection will provide the best outcome for you. To help you in fielding that question, let's assess two of the most popularly selected treatment options: chiropractic/manipulative therapy and epidural.

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

A body of researchers from Switzerland compared 102 patients, all of whom had chronically herniated discs validated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Each cohort chosen had already undergone three months of treatment via alternatively accessible treatment options with no success.

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

The conductors of the study collected data in regards to the pain levels of every patient in advance of the care given in the course of the study. Then, 30 days after care, individuals scored their disc herniation discomfort on the same range as previously. The change between the two reports was used to calculate how effective the care was for remediating pain.

What did the research determine about spinal adjustments compared to nerve root injections?

Just over 76 percent of the individuals who were given chiropractic care reported a decrease in their pain. In the other half, not quite 63 percent of the people in the study who were administered epidurals recorded an improvement in pain. These data imply that chiropractic treatment could possibly be more effective when caring for to remediate herniated disc discomfort.

And, that isn't everything. In addition to giving a greater number of cohorts greatly appreciated reduction in pain, researchers also identified that spinal manipulation was lower in cost. Epidural treatments were roughly $730 for each individual. The chiropractic care cost just under $560 for the same period of time. This type of savings can certainly help with anyone’s health care expenses. Spending less may make it feasible to look for treatment for your disc herniation pain without additional stress.

If you are interested in a better likelihood of pain relief and lesser expenses when it comes to your herniated disc care, give Dr. Pittman a call today at (325) 223-9355 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