Dr. Holland works with many sciatica patients here in our North St. Louis, MO office, and quite a few of these men and women were nervous that they might need surgery to treat their pain. The latest research indicates that many people don't require surgery for this prevalent 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, physicians looked at 80 women and men with sciatica who were referred for this operation.
Forty patients were then randomly sorted into one of two groups. The first group received surgical microdiscectomy and the second group received chiropractic care.
Both groups improved; however, no obvious difference in outcome was reported one year post-treatment between the surgery group and the chiropractic group. Furthermore, roughly 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."
In other words, chiropractic offered the same positive advantages as surgery without having to endure the increased levels of surgery-based pain or suffer through lengthy recovery times often affiliated with that type of treatment option. Plus, you also don't run the risks linked to surgical microdiscectomy, including nerve root damage, bowel or bladder incontinence, bleeding, or infection.
Surgery ought to be the last resort for sciatica pain. If you live in North St. Louis, MO and you're suffering from back pain or sciatica, give Dr. Holland a call today at (314) 588-9100. We'll help determine the source of your pain and work hard to get you relief.
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We have a long-standing track record or helping people get out of pain with chiropractic care. Whether you were injured last week, or have been suffering from chronic pain for years - It might only take one visit to our office in Downtown Saint Louis, MO to get you back on the path to everyday health.
