Chiropractic Adjustments Found Effective and More Economical Than Epidural for Herniated Disc Discomfort

Relief of Slipped Disc in Lincoln

Herniated discs have afflicted a number of patients that have been treated in our Lincoln office. Fortunately, Dr. Jerrad Swanson DC, FMT, DN1 has assisted many of them rebound swiftly and more completely. Herniated discs, sometime referred to as "slipped discs", can be treated with several different methods.

If you are feeling pain caused by a herniated disc, then you are likely querying which option will provide the best outcome for you. To support you in finding an answer to that question, let's assess two of the most commonly employed treatment options: chiropractic/manipulative therapy and epidural injections.

Research Compares Results from Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) and Nerve Root Injections (NRI)

A body of researchers from Switzerland compared 102 participants, every one of them had chronically herniated discs validated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Each person chosen had already received 90 days of treatment through alternatively applicable remedies with no success.

The pack of participants was split into two subdivision. The first half of the participants underwent high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulation treatment (chiropractic treatments). The rest of people in the study were given nerve root injections (epidural).

The researchers gathered scores regarding the pain levels of every person prior to the care given in the course of the research. Subsequently, one month following treatment, cohorts scored their disc herniation discomfort on the same scoring system as previously. The change between the two reports was used to calculate how effective the intervention was for improving discomfort.

What did the research determine in regards to chiropractic adjustments compared to epidurals?

More than 76 percent of the people in the study who were given chiropractic adjustments reported a reduction in their discomfort. On the other hand, not quite 63% of the cohorts who received epidurals reported an improvement in pain. These scores suggest that chiropractic care could be more successful for caring for to reduce herniated disc discomfort.

Plus, there is more. In addition to granting a higher number of individuals highly desired reduction in pain, researchers also determined that spinal manipulation was less expensive. Nerve root injection treatments approximately cost $730 for a single recipient. The chiropractic treatment was approximately $560 for the same time frame. This type of savings may certainly help with anyone’s health care expenses. Saving money can make it more probable to pursue treatment for your disc herniation pain without additional burden.

If you are interested in a higher chance of success and fewer costs when it comes to your herniated disc treatment, give Dr. Jerrad Swanson DC, FMT, DN1 a call today at (402) 484-5177 to schedule an appointment.

Reference

Peterson, CK et al. (2013, May). Symptomatic magnetic resonance imaging-confirmed lumbar disk herniation patients: a comparative effectiveness prospective observational study of 2 age-and sex-matched cohorts treated with either high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulative therapy or image-guided lumbar nerve root injections. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 36(4), 218-225, doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2013.04.005