Disc Herniation and Chiropractic

Dr. Scharf sees many patients weekly in our busy Parkland chiropractic office who are searching for relief from the pain and agony they feel due to herniated discs. Our experience isn't unique; the scientific literature verifies that chiropractic is an effective way to treat herniated disc pain.

Don't Suffer! Dr. Scharf and Chiropractic Care Helps With Disc Herniation

One particular research project involved 27 people, 8 male and 19 female, who had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirming a disc herniation in either their neck or lower back. The people reported that they were experiencing pain, reduced range of motion, and sensory problems bad enough to keep them off work.

During the course of the research period, the subjects were managed using one of two common chiropractic methods: traction for herniated discs in the cervical area or flexion distraction for the people who had herniation issues in the lumbar area.

Each individual was seen four or five times per week for the first two weeks, then three times each week, and then as needed for the remainder of the study. Depending on the severity of the disc herniation, therapy varied anywhere from six weeks to six months, with MRIs being conducted at a variety of stages to identify what effect, if any, the chiropractic care was having in regard to the disc herniation.

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps With Back Pain and Herniated Disc

The authors found that 80 percent of the patients experienced a "good clinical outcome," meaning reduced pain and a reduction in other issues, such as numbness. Furthermore, 77 percent of these men and women also showed MRI evidence that their disc herniation was either reduced or resolved completely. This resulted in 78 percent of the study subjects being able to return to their place of employment and led the researchers to conclude that chiropractic adjustments is both "safe and helpful" for disc herniations.

If you have a herniated disc and suffer from chronic back pain and are near Dr. Scharf in Parkland, contact our office today to see what chiropractic can do for you!

Reference
BenEliyahu, DJ. Magnetic resonance imaging and clinical follow-up: study of 27 patients receiving chiropractic care for cervical and lumbar disc herniations. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1996;19(9):597-606.