Chiropractic Treatment Methods Shown as Effective and Less Expensive Than Epidural for Treating Herniated Disc Patients

Herniated discs have afflicted many people that have been treated in our Clarksdale, Hernando, Horn Lake & Olive Branch office. Fortunately, Dr. Kasprack has helped a lot of them rebound quickly and more adequately. Herniated discs, sometime referred to as "slipped discs", can be treated with several different approaches.

If you are suffering with discomfort because of a herniated disc, then you may be querying which selection will provide the best outcome for you. To support you in fielding that inquiry, let's assess two of the most commonly selected therapies: chiropractic and epidural injections.

A Study Analyzed Improvements from Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) and Nerve Root Injections (NRI)

A group of researchers from Switzerland compared 102 patients, every one of them had chronically herniated discs validated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Every participant picked had already received three months of care via other applicable remedies without achieving success.

The group of individuals was split into two groups. The first half of the patients were assigned to receive high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulation treatment (chiropractic treatments). The second half of people in the study received nerve root injections (epidural).

The organizers of the study saved scores about the pain levels of every cohort in advance of the care given amid the research. Later, one month following the receiving of treatment, individuals reported their disc herniation discomfort on the same scoring system as previously. The change between the two reports was applied to measure how successful the care may have been for relieving pain.

What did the research uncover about spinal adjustments versus epidurals?

Over 76% of the people in the study who engaged in chiropractic care recorded a reduction in their pain. In the other half, not quite 63 percent of the individuals who were given epidurals scored a minimization in discomfort. These scores imply that chiropractic care could be more successful when looking to remediate herniated disc pain.

And, there is more. Beyond granting a greater amount of participants greatly appreciated relief from pain, researchers also identified that chiropractic care was more affordable. Epidural treatments cost about $730 for a single patient. Chiropractic care was just under $560 for the same time frame. This type of savings could surely help with one’s budget. Spending less can make it more conceivable to pursue care of your disc herniation pain without extra worry.

If you would like a higher likelihood of pain relief and lesser expenses associated with your herniated disc treatment, give Dr. Kasprack a call today at (662) 890-0012 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