Chiropractic Care Shown to Be Effective and Less Expensive Than Epidural for Treating Herniated Disc Diagnosis

Herniated discs have annoyed a number of patients that have been treated in our Anchorage practice. Fortunately, Dr. Matthisen has helped most of them bounce back speedily and more adequately. Herniated discs, or "slipped discs", can be treated with a handful of approaches.

If you are experiencing pain caused by a herniated disc, then you may be querying which option will provide the best outcome for you. To help you in solving that inquiry, let's look at two of the most commonly employed treatments: chiropractic/manipulative therapy and lumbar nerve root injection/epidural.

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

A body of researchers from Switzerland recruited 102 patients, all of whom had chronically herniated discs validated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Each person picked had already undergone ninety days of treatment through alternatively accessible treatment options with no success.

The group of patients was split into two groups. One half of the cohorts were assigned to receive high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulation treatment (chiropractic treatments). The second half of people in the study were treated with nerve root injections (epidural).

The organizers of the study collected scores in regards to the pain levels of every patient prior to the remedy given during the research. Subsequently, 30 days following the receiving of treatment, patients reported their disc herniation discomfort on the same scoring system as before. The difference in the two ratings was used to calculate how useful the remedy may have been for relieving pain.

What did the researchers determine about spinal adjustments compared to epidural injections?

Just over 76% of the patients who were administered chiropractic care scored a decrease in their pain. On the other side, fewer than 63 percent of the cohorts who were given epidurals expressed a reduction in discomfort. The data suggest that chiropractic treatment could be more effective when looking to resolve herniated disc discomfort.

And, that is not everything. In addition to granting a greater count of people greatly appreciated pain relief, researchers also discovered that chiropractic care was more cost-effective. The epidural treatments cost about $730 for each participant. The chiropractic care cost less than $560 for an equal time frame. This amount of savings could certainly help with your budget. A lower cost can make it more viable to look for treatment of your disc herniation pain without added worry.

If you would like a better likelihood of success and lower expenses when it comes to your herniated disc care, give Dr. Matthisen a call today at (907) 349-4212 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