In our Harrisburg practice, we see many patients who are suffering from back pain, and some of these patients have been informed they might need surgery to recover. Fortunately, Blake Chiropractic & Rehabilitation has helped many people get relief without the need for any type of surgical procedure. The scientific literature confirms the success we see in our practice. One research study published in the academic journal Spine found that consulting with a chiropractor as your first move in dealing with your back problems may literally keep you off of the operating table.
In this research study, medical experts from Dartmouth reviewed statistics from 1,885 workers from the state of Washington who first saw either a surgeon or a chiropractic doctor for their back pain issues. They then examined three years' worth of follow-up medical records to ascertain whether the subjects ended up having back surgery in an effort to treat the issue.
What the researchers determined was that about 43% of the men and women who first saw a surgeon for their back problems ended up in surgery in that 3-year time span, whereas only 1.5 percent of those who first saw a chiropractor had the same fate. The authors wrote:
"Even after controlling for injury severity and other measures, workers with an initial visit for the injury to a surgeon had almost nine times the odds of receiving lumbar spine surgery compared to those seeing primary care providers, whereas workers whose first visit was to a chiropractor had significantly lower odds of surgery."
These are impressive findings. Consulting with a chiropractor significantly reduces your odds of getting back surgery, plus the chiropractic patients in this report "had lower odds of chronic work disability" and they also had fewer expensive MRI tests.
Let's also consider this important detail: this study was conducted by orthopedic surgeons from Dartmouth College, and published in the world's most influential medical publication on spinal injury.
Any surgery has risks, but a serious problem associated with spine surgery is that there is a very high failure rate. In an important review in the European Spine Journal, researchers wrote:
"Failed back surgery is a problem that has become sufficiently widespread to even warrant its own special conferences, with recent reviews reporting failure rates ranging from 5 to 50%."
"It is extremely difficult to identify unequivocal predictor factors that can be used to accurately predict the outcome of surgery."
As a chiropractor, Blake Chiropractic & Rehabilitation believes that surgery should be the absolute last choice for treating back pain. Chiropractic care works to restore your spine to its normal function--without the need of risky surgery or drugs--and many research studies have demonstrated the usefulness of chiropractic for back pain.
If you live in Harrisburg and you need relief for your back pain, give our practice a call today at (717) 657-2561 for a consultation or an appointment. We'll help get you back on the road to a pain-free life!
Studies
Trust the medical professionals at Blake Chiropractic & Rehab for all of your chiropractic needs. We have more than 26 years of experience and work to ensure your complete satisfaction. Our staff is dedicated to providing top-quality chiropractic care, so make an appointment today. We are conveniently located right off Route 22, beside the Colonial Park Fire Department, and accept most major insurance plans.
