Chiropractic More Effective for Sciatica Than Surgery

Dr. Scharf works with many sciatica patients here in our Parkland, FL office, and quite a few of these patients were nervous that they might require surgery to treat their pain. The latest research reveals that many people don't need surgery for this common issue, 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 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 was given chiropractic care.

Both groups got better; however, no noticeable difference in results was recorded one year post-treatment between the surgery group and the chiropractic group. Additionally, around 60% of the participating patients who could not find relief from any other treatment method "benefited from spinal manipulation to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention."

Simply put, chiropractic offered the same positive benefits as surgery without needing to undergo the greater amounts of surgery-based pain or suffer through lengthy recovery times often associated with that type of treatment method. Plus, you also don't run the risks affiliated with surgical microdiscectomy, which includes nerve root damage, bowel or bladder incontinence, bleeding, or infection.

Surgery should be the last option for sciatica pain. If you live in Parkland, FL and you're suffering from back pain or sciatica, give Dr. Scharf a call today at (954) 227-0088. We'll help determine the origin 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.