Avoid Sciatica Surgery With Chiropractic

Dr. Matthisen works with countless sciatica patients here in our Anchorage office, and many of these men and women were nervous that they might need surgery to relieve their pain. The latest research reveals that a large number of people don't require surgery for this common problem, and that chiropractic is more effective at resolving sciatic nerve pain.

A popular surgery for sciatica is microdiscectomy, and in a 2010 study, researchers examined 80 women and men 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 care.

Both groups got better; however, no apparent difference in results was reported one year post-treatment between either group. Additionally, roughly sixty percent of the participating patients who could not find relief from any other treatment approach "benefited from spinal manipulation to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention."

Put another way, chiropractic offered the same positive benefits as surgery without needing to go through the greater amounts of surgery-based pain or suffer through lengthy recovery times often affiliated with that type of treatment choice. Additionally, you also don't run the risks associated with surgical microdiscectomy, such as nerve root damage, bowel or bladder incontinence, bleeding, or infection.

Surgery ought to be the last option for sciatica pain. If you live in Anchorage and you're experiencing back pain or sciatica, give Dr. Matthisen a call today at (907) 349-4212. We'll help determine the start of your pain and work hard to get you relief.

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.