Disc Herniation and Chiropractic Care

Dr. Holland sees many patients weekly in our busy Downtown St. Louis, MO chiropractic office who are trying to find relief from the pain and agony they feel due to herniated discs. Our experience isn't unique; the medical research confirms that chiropractic adjustments is an effective way to treat herniated disc problems.

Don't Suffer! Dr. Holland and Chiropractic Treatment Helps With Disc Herniation

One particular research 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 people reported that they were experiencing pain, reduced range of motion, and sensory problems bad enough to keep them off work.

Over the course of the research period, the individuals were managed using one of two common chiropractic techniques: traction for herniated discs in the cervical area or flexion distraction for the men and women 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 each week, and then as needed for the rest of the study. Depending on the seriousness of the disc herniation, therapy ranged anywhere from six weeks to six months, with MRIs being performed at a variety of stages to identify what effect, if any, the chiropractic care was having in regard to the disc herniation.

Research Supports Chiropractic Treatment Helps With Back Issues and Herniated Disc

The researchers discovered that 80% of the subjects obtained a "good clinical outcome," meaning reduced discomfort and a reduction in other symptoms, such as numbness. Additionally, 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 subjects being able to return to their place of employment and led the authors 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. Holland in Downtown St. Louis, MO, contact our office today to see what chiropractic care 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.