Chiropractic Spinal Adjustments Reported as Effective and Less Expensive Than Epidural for Herniated Disc Discomfort

Herniated discs have bothered a number of people that have been treated in our Buffalo office. Fortunately, Buffalo Family Chiropractic Wellness, P. C. has assisted a lot of them bounce back speedily and more adequately. Herniated discs, also known as "slipped discs", can be treated with several different strategies.

If you are suffering with pain because of a herniated disc, then you may be querying which option will provide the best outcome for you. To support you in finding an answer to that question, let's look at two of the most popularly used therapies: chiropractic and epidural.

Research Compares Results from Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) and Nerve Root Injections (NRI)

A body of researchers from Switzerland recruited 102 individuals, every one of them had chronically herniated discs confirmed by medical imaging. Any patient selected had previously received ninety days of treatment via alternatively accessible treatment options without achieving satisfaction.

The body of patients was split into two subdivision. The first group of the individuals were assigned to receive high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulation treatment (chiropractic treatments). The remaining half of cohorts were treated with nerve root injections (epidural).

The organizers of the study gathered scores regarding the pain levels of each individual before the care given during the research. Subsequently, 30 days following care, patients reported their disc herniation discomfort on the same range as at the beginning. The difference between the two grades was used to measure how useful the treatment was for improving discomfort.

What did the researchers uncover in regards to spinal adjustments versus epidural injections?

Just over 76 percent of the participants who received chiropractic care scored a positive change in their discomfort. In the other group, not quite 63 percent of the patients who were treated with epidurals scored a reduction in pain. These scores indicate that chiropractic treatment could be more successful for caring for to resolve herniated disc discomfort.

And, that is not all. In addition to giving a larger quantity of individuals some much needed reduction in pain, researchers also identified that chiropractic treatment was less expensive. Epidural treatments were roughly $730 per each patient. The chiropractic care was approximately $560 for the same time frame. This cost savings could surely help with one’s health care expenses. Saving money may make it more conceivable to look for care for your disc herniation pain without additional anxiety.

If you are interested in a better chance of success and lesser expenses associated with your herniated disc treatment, give Buffalo Family Chiropractic Wellness, P. C. a call today at (716) 854-1563 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