Avoid Sciatica Surgery With Chiropractic

Dr. Szilagyi works with countless sciatica patients here in our Harleysville, PA office, and quite a few of these individuals were concerned that they might require surgery to alleviate their pain. The latest research shows that a large number of people don't require surgery for this prevalent issue, and that chiropractic is more effective at resolving sciatic nerve pain.

A popular surgery for sciatica is microdiscectomy, and in a 2010 study, researchers examined 80 patients 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 was given chiropractic care.

Both groups improved; however, no obvious difference in results was reported one year post-treatment between either group. Furthermore, about sixty percent of the participating subjects who could not find assistance 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 having to go through the higher levels of surgery-based pain or suffer through extended recovery times often affiliated with that particular treatment option. Additionally, you also don't run the risks associated with surgical microdiscectomy, which includes nerve root damage, bowel or bladder incontinence, bleeding, or infection.

Surgery should be the last resort for sciatica pain. If you live in Harleysville, PA and you're being affected by back pain or sciatica, give Dr. Szilagyi a call today at (215) 256-4345. We'll help identify 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.