Avoid Sciatica Surgery With Chiropractic Treatment

Dr. Stern works with many sciatica patients here in our Sunnyvale & San Francisco office, and quite a few of these patients were afraid that they might require surgery to treat their pain. The most recent research shows that many people don't require surgery for this common problem, and that chiropractic therapy is more successful at resolving sciatic nerve discomfort.

A common surgery for sciatica is microdiscectomy, and in a 2010 study, specialists looked at 80 patients 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 received chiropractic therapy.

Both groups got better; however, no noticeable difference in outcome was recorded one year post-treatment between either group. In addition, about 60 percent of the participating patients who could not find assistance from any other treatment method "benefited from spinal manipulation to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention."

Simply put, chiropractic treatment provided the same positive advantages as surgery without needing to undergo the higher levels of surgery-based pain or suffer through lengthy recovery times often affiliated with that specific treatment option. Additionally, 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 People Find Relief From Sciatica Pain

Surgery should be the last option for sciatica pain. If you live in Sunnyvale & San Francisco and you're suffering from back pain or sciatica, give Dr. Stern a call today at (415) 308-7636. We'll help determine the source of your issues 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.