Chiropractic Methods Concluded to Be Effective and Less Expensive Than Epidural during Treatment of Herniated Disc Patients

Herniated discs have afflicted numerous people that have visited our Saint Paul office. Fortunately, Dr. Slater has helped plenty of them rebound quickly and more adequately. Herniated discs, also known as "slipped discs", can be treated with several different approaches.

If you are feeling pain caused by a herniated disc, then you are likely asking which option may provide the best outcome for you. To support you in settling that question, let's inspect two of the most frequently employed treatment options: chiropractic and lumbar nerve root injection/epidural.

Research Analyses Improvements from Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) and Nerve Root Injections (NRI)

A body of researchers from Switzerland compared 102 participants, all having had chronically herniated discs verified by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Any patient selected had previously undergone 90 days of care through alternatively accessible treatment options without achieving significant improvement.

The pool of people being studied was split into two subdivision. One half of the cohorts underwent high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulation treatment (chiropractic treatments). The rest of cohorts were given nerve root injections (epidural).

The conductors of the study saved ratings regarding the pain levels of every person before the remedy given at the time of the study. Subsequently, one month following the receiving of treatment, participants scored their disc herniation discomfort on the same scale as at the beginning. The difference between the two reports was used to measure how useful the intervention may have been for relieving discomfort.

What did the study uncover about chiropractic adjustments against nerve root injections?

More than 76 percent of the people in the study who were given chiropractic treatments expressed an improvement in their pain. On the other hand, less than 63% of the individuals who engaged in epidurals recorded an improvement in pain. These results offer that chiropractic treatment could be more successful when looking to reduce herniated disc discomfort.

And, that isn't all. In addition to granting a larger number of participants greatly appreciated reduction in pain, researchers also found that chiropractic care was lower in cost. The nerve root injection treatments cost about $730 for a single recipient. The chiropractic care was approximately $560 for an equal period of time. This type of savings may surely help with one’s medical expenses. Saving money can make it more viable to pursue treatment for your disc herniation pain without extra hardship.

If you are interested in a greater probability of success and lower costs when it comes to your herniated disc treatment, give Dr. Slater a call today at (651) 699-3366 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