Disc Herniation and Chiropractic

Dr. Szilagyi sees many people weekly in our busy Harleysville chiropractic office who are trying to find relief from the pain and distress they feel due to herniated discs. Our experience isn't unique; the medical literature verifies that chiropractic therapy is a great way to treat herniated disc problems.

Don't Suffer! Dr. Szilagyi and Chiropractic Treatment Helps With Disc Herniation

One particular research project involved 27 people, 8 male and 19 female, who had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirming a disc herniation in either their neck or lower back. The men and women reported that they were experiencing pain, limited range of motion, and sensory issues bad enough to keep them off work.

Over the course of the research study, the subjects were managed using one of two common chiropractic practices: traction for herniated discs in the cervical area or flexion distraction for the patients who had herniation issues in the low back.

Each person was seen four or five times per week for the first two weeks, then three times each week, and then as needed for the rest of the study. Depending on the severity of the disc herniation, therapy ranged anywhere from six weeks to six months, with MRIs being performed at various stages to determine what effect, if any, the chiropractic care was having in regard to the disc herniation.

Research Proves Chiropractic Therapy Helps With Back Issues and Herniated Disc

The authors discovered that 80 percent of the patients experienced a "good clinical outcome," meaning reduced discomfort and a reduction in other symptoms, such as numbness. Additionally, 77 percent of these people also showed MRI evidence that their disc herniation was either reduced or resolved completely. This resulted in 78 percent of the study participants being able to return to their place of employment and led the researchers to conclude that chiropractic adjustments is both "safe and helpful" for disc herniations.

If you have a herniated disc and suffer from chronic back pain and are near Dr. Szilagyi in Harleysville, contact our office today to see what chiropractic treatment can do for you!

Reference
BenEliyahu, DJ. Magnetic resonance imaging and clinical follow-up: study of 27 patients receiving chiropractic care for cervical and lumbar disc herniations. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1996;19(9):597-606.