Herniated Disc Care in Juneau

Herniated discs have bothered a number of patients that have visited our Juneau office. Fortunately, Dr. Messerschmidt has assisted most of them bounce back quickly and more effectively. Herniated discs, sometime referred to as "slipped discs", can be treated with a handful of approaches.

If you are experiencing irritation because of a herniated disc, then you may be querying which selection will provide the best outcome for you. To help you in settling that question, let's review two of the most popularly prescribed treatments: chiropractic/manipulative therapy and epidural injections.

Study Analyzing Results from Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) and Nerve Root Injections (NRI)

A body of researchers compared 102 participants, all having had chronically herniated discs confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Every patient picked had already undergone three months of treatment via alternatively accessible remedies without achieving satisfaction.

The pack of patients was divided into two treatment paths. The first group of the participants were treated with high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulation treatment (chiropractic adjustments). The remaining half of people in the study were given nerve root injections (epidural).

The conductors of the study saved scores about the pain levels of each individual prior to the care provided in the course of the study. Subsequently, 30 days after treatment, participants scored their disc herniation pain on the same scoring system as at the beginning. The change in the two ratings was applied to gauge how successful the intervention may have been for remediating pain.

What did the study uncover in regards to spinal manipulations compared to epidurals?

Just over 76 percent of the participants who engaged in chiropractic treatments expressed a decrease in their discomfort. In the other half, fewer than 63% of the cohorts who engaged in epidurals scored an improvement in discomfort. The findings imply that chiropractic adjustments could possibly be more successful for treating to reduce herniated disc discomfort.

Plus, there is more. Beyond granting a greater number of people greatly appreciated pain relief, researchers also identified that chiropractic care was lower in cost. The epidural treatments cost about $730 per a single individual. The chiropractic treatment ran approximately $560 for the same time frame. This type of savings may surely assist with anyone’s medical expenses. Spending less can make it feasible to pursue care of your disc herniation pain without added anxiety.

If you are interested in a higher likelihood of effectiveness and fewer expenses associated with your herniated disc care, give Dr. Messerschmidt a call today at (907) 789-1344 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

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