Avoid Sciatica Surgery With Chiropractic Treatment

Dr. Bettencourt works with many sciatica patients here in our Napa office, and quite a few of these patients were worried that they might need surgery to alleviate their pain. The most recent research indicates that many people don't require surgery for this widespread problem, and that chiropractic care is more effective at clearing up sciatic nerve issues.

A typical surgery for sciatica is microdiscectomy, and in a 2010 study, researchers looked at 80 individuals with sciatica who were referred for this procedure.

Forty patients were then randomly placed in one of two groups. The first group was to receive surgical microdiscectomy and the second group was given chiropractic adjustments.

Both groups got better; however, no apparent difference in results was recorded one year post-treatment between the surgery group and the chiropractic group. Furthermore, about 60% 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 therapy offered the same positive advantages as surgery without needing to go through the increased amounts of surgery-based pain or suffer through lengthy recovery times often affiliated with that type of treatment method. Plus, you also don't run the risks associated with surgical microdiscectomy, which includes nerve root damage, bowel or bladder incontinence, bleeding, or infection.

We Can Help Clients Find Comfort From Sciatica Pain

Surgery should be the last option for sciatica pain. If you live in Napa and you're experiencing back pain or sciatica, give Dr. Bettencourt a call today at (707) 257-3600. We'll help determine the source of your problems and work hard to get you help and living pain free.

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.