Dr. Holland works with many sciatica patients here in our North County St. Louis, MO office, and quite a few of these men and women were afraid that they might require surgery to alleviate their pain. The latest research indicates that a large number of people don't need surgery for this common problem, and that chiropractic therapy is more beneficial at resolving sciatic nerve issues.
A typical surgery for sciatica is microdiscectomy, and in a 2010 study, specialists examined 80 patients with sciatica who were referred for this procedure.
Forty patients were then randomly sorted into one of two groups. The first group was to receive surgical microdiscectomy and the second group received chiropractic treatment.
Both groups got better; however, no apparent difference in outcome was recorded one year post-treatment between the surgery group and the chiropractic group. Furthermore, around sixty percent of the participating patients who could not find relief from any other treatment method "benefited from spinal manipulation to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention."
In other words, chiropractic care delivered the same positive benefits as surgery without having to go through the greater levels of surgery-based pain or suffer through drawn-out recovery times often affiliated with that specific treatment method. Additionally, you also don't run the risks associated with surgical microdiscectomy, which includes nerve root damage, bowel or bladder incontinence, bleeding, or infection.
Surgery ought to be the last option for sciatica pain. If you live in North County St. Louis, MO and you're experiencing back discomfort or sciatica, give Dr. Holland a call today at (314) 867-8888. We'll help determine the origin of your issues and work hard to get you help and living pain free.
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