Chiropractic Treatment More Effective for Sciatica Than Surgery

Dr. Szilagyi works with many sciatica patients here in our Harleysville office, and many of these men and women were concerned that they might need 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 beneficial at solving sciatic nerve problems.

A common surgery for sciatica is microdiscectomy, and in a 2010 study, researchers looked at 80 patients with sciatica who were referred for this operation.

Forty patients were then randomly sorted into one of two groups. The first group was to receive surgical microdiscectomy and the second group was given chiropractic therapy.

Both groups got better; however, no obvious difference in outcome was reported one year post-treatment between the surgery group and the chiropractic group. Additionally, roughly 60% of the participating patients who could not find assistance from any other treatment approach "benefited from spinal manipulation to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention."

In other words, chiropractic therapy provided the same positive advantages as surgery without needing to go through the increased levels of surgery-based pain or suffer through extended recovery times often associated with that type of 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 Clients Find Comfort From Sciatica Pain

Surgery ought to be the last option for sciatica pain. If you live in Harleysville and you're being affected by back problems or sciatica, give Dr. Szilagyi a call today at (215) 256-4345. We'll help pinpoint the source of your issues and work hard to get you relief 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.