Dr. Blake works with countless sciatica patients here in our Harrisburg office, and many of these men and women were nervous that they might require surgery to eliminate their pain. The most recent research shows that many people don't require surgery for this widespread problem, and that chiropractic is more beneficial at solving sciatic nerve pain.
A common surgery for sciatica is microdiscectomy, and in a 2010 study, physicians looked at 80 individuals with sciatica who were referred for this operation.
Forty patients were then randomly placed in one of two groups. The first group received surgical microdiscectomy and the second group received chiropractic care.
Both groups improved; however, no apparent difference in outcome was reported one year post-treatment between the surgery group and the chiropractic group. Furthermore, around 60% of the participating subjects who could not find relief from any other treatment method "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 undergo the increased amounts of surgery-based pain or suffer through drawn-out recovery times often affiliated with that type of treatment method. Additionally, you also don't run the risks affiliated 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 Harrisburg and you're being affected by back pain or sciatica, give Dr. Blake a call today at (717) 657-2561. We'll help pinpoint the origin of your pain and work hard to get you relief.
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