Dr. Blake works with countless sciatica patients here in our Harrisburg office, and quite a few of these patients were nervous that they might need surgery to alleviate their pain. The latest research indicates that a large number of people don't require surgery for this widespread problem, and that chiropractic is more successful at clearing up sciatic nerve pain.
A common 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 placed in one of two groups. The first group received surgical microdiscectomy and the second group received chiropractic care.
Both groups got better; however, no apparent difference in outcome was reported one year post-treatment between either group. Furthermore, roughly sixty percent 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."
In other words, chiropractic offered the same positive benefits as surgery without having to endure the increased amounts of surgery-based pain or suffer through extended recovery times often affiliated with that specific treatment method. Plus, 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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