Herniated discs have tormented many people that have come to our South Buffalo practice. Fortunately, Dr. Nowak has helped many of them heal speedily and more effectively. Herniated discs, sometime referred to as "slipped discs", can be treated with several different strategies.
If you are experiencing pain because of a herniated disc, then you may be asking which choice will provide the best outcome for you. To help you in finding an answer to that question, let's assess two of the most frequently prescribed treatments: chiropractic and epidural injections.
Study Analyses Results from Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) and Nerve Root Injections (NRI)
A body of researchers studied 102 participants, every one of them had chronically herniated discs confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Every person chosen had already undergone ninety days of care via other applicable treatment options with no success.
The pack of participants was split into two treatment paths. The first group of the patients were treated with high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulation treatment (chiropractic treatments). The second half of patients were administered nerve root injections (epidural).
The conductors of the study gathered scores regarding the pain levels of each person prior to the treatment provided in the time of the research. Subsequently, one month after treatment, people in the study reported their disc herniation discomfort on the same scoring system as previously. The change between the two scores was applied to gauge how useful the remedy was for remediating pain.
What did the research find about chiropractic adjustments against nerve root injections?
More than 76% of the cohorts who were treated with chiropractic care recorded a decrease in their pain. In the other half, less than 63% of the people in the study who were administered epidurals expressed a reduction in discomfort. The results offer that chiropractic treatment could possibly be more successful for caring for to reduce herniated disc pain.
And, that is not everything. Beyond giving a larger quantity of patients highly desired reduction in pain, researchers also found that chiropractic treatment was more cost-effective. Nerve root injection treatments cost about $730 per a single participant. Chiropractic care cost just under $560 for an equal duration. This cost savings could certainly help with anyone’s budget. Spending less can make it feasible to seek care of your disc herniation pain without additional worry.
If you are interested in a higher chance of pain relief and lower costs associated with your herniated disc care, give Dr. Nowak a call today at (716) 825-4121 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
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