Dr. Dalton sees many patients weekly in our busy Rochester Hills, MI chiropractic office who are looking for relief from the pain and distress they feel due to herniated discs. Our experience isn't unique; the medical research verifies that chiropractic is a great way to treat herniated disc problems.
One particular study 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 individuals reported that they were experiencing pain, limited range of motion, and sensory problems bad enough to keep them off work.
Over the course of the research study, the participants were treated 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 low back.
Each man or woman was seen four or five times per week for the first two weeks, then three times weekly, and then as needed for the rest of the study. Based on the extent of the disc herniation, treatment varied anywhere from six weeks to six months, with MRIs being performed at a variety of stages to identify what impact, if any, the chiropractic care was having in regard to the disc herniation.
The authors reported that 80 percent of the participants experienced a "good clinical outcome," meaning reduced pain and a reduction in other symptoms, such as numbness. Furthermore, 77 percent of these subjects also showed MRI evidence that their disc herniation was either reduced or resolved completely. This resulted in 78 percent of the study participants being able to return to their place of work and led the authors to conclude that chiropractic is both "safe and helpful" for disc herniations.
If you have a herniated disc and suffer from chronic back pain and are near Dr. Dalton in Rochester Hills, MI, 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.
Dr. Dalton
Chiropractors, often considered alternative or complementary medicine practitioners, are primary care doctors who focus on good health through proper nutrition, exercise, and other lifestyle factors. The chiropractic philosophy is based on the idea that when nerves emerging from the spinal cord are compromised (known as a subluxation), the affected individual might experience pain, disability and an overall decrease in the quality of life.