Chiropractic of North County Logo

Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation Reported as Effective and Less Expensive Than Epidural during Treatment of Herniated Disc Pain

Relief of Slipped Disc in North County St. Louis, MO

Herniated discs have afflicted uncounted people that have been treated in our North County St. Louis, MO practice. Fortunately, Dr. Holland has helped plenty of them heal swiftly and more adequately. Herniated discs, or "slipped discs", can be treated with multiple methods.

If you are feeling pain caused by a herniated disc, then you may be querying which option may provide the best outcome for you. To support you in fielding that search, let's review two of the most popularly employed therapies: chiropractic/manipulative therapy and epidural.

Research Comparing Outcomes from Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) and Nerve Root Injections (NRI)

A group of researchers from Switzerland recruited 102 individuals, all of whom had chronically herniated discs validated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Each cohort selected had already received 90 days of care via other applicable treatment options with no success.

The pool of participants was split into two groups. The first half of the cohorts were treated with high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulation treatment (chiropractic treatments). The second half of people in the study were administered nerve root injections (epidural).

The conductors of the study collected data in regards to the pain levels of every person prior to the treatment administered in the time of the research. Later, one month following treatment, patients graded their disc herniation discomfort on the same scoring system as at the beginning. The difference between the two reports was applied to measure how effective the care may have been for relieving pain.

What did the researchers conclude about spinal adjustments versus epidurals?

Greater than 76 percent of the participants who were given chiropractic adjustments reported a decrease in their pain. In the other group, not quite 63% of the individuals who were treated with epidurals expressed a reduction in pain. These results imply that chiropractic adjustments could be more successful for looking to resolve herniated disc discomfort.

Plus, there’s more. Beyond granting a greater quantity of cohorts highly desired pain relief, researchers also discovered that chiropractic care was lower in cost. Epidural treatments cost about $730 per each patient. Chiropractic treatment ran just under $560 for an equal duration. This type of savings may certainly help with anyone’s budget. A lower cost can make it more viable to pursue treatment for your disc herniation pain without extra burden.

If you want a greater likelihood of effectiveness and lesser expenses when it comes to your herniated disc care, give Dr. Holland a call today at (314) 867-8888 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

March 03, 2025
Share
chiropractor near me

Dr. Holland

We have a long-standing track record or helping people get out of pain with chiropractic care. Whether you were injured last week, or have been suffering from chronic pain for years - It might only take one visit to our office in Downtown Saint Louis, MO to get you back on the path to everyday health.