Chiropractic Reduces Disc Herniation Related Pain Often Without MRI
MRIs are fascinating. MRIs display pretty pictures of the body. Chiropractors appreciate spinal MRI images. Why? The spine is your Concord, NC chiropractor’s realm! Pure Chiropractic appreciates the MRI image study for what it is: a tool. But MRIs are not always clinically necessary. Can MRI help decide whether to use non-surgical care or surgical care for back pain relief? Read on for the most recent news.
The Usefulness of MRI
When a Concord, NC patient’s back pain, neck pain, arm pain or leg pain symptoms indicate the demand for an MRI, Pure Chiropractic requests one for such a Concord, NC back pain patient. MRI may supplement your Concord, NC chiropractor’s clinical perception of the condition oftentimes (but not always!). Pre-treatment and post-MRI studies are intriguing. Did the disc herniation reduce now that the pain left? Concord, NC chiropractic patients will often ask that of Pure Chiropractic. And researchers will study MRIs for their research studies on just such a query.
The Curiosity of MRI
Researchers are not the only ones who curiously examine MRI images of low back pain sufferers to ascertain if there is any connection between pain and no pain and the MRI at the beginning and end of treatment for back pain. Patients wonder, too. Pure Chiropractic knows our Concord, NC back pain patients wonder!
In noticing that doctors and patients dealing with back pain like MRIs, a group of researchers planned to determine the value of MRI in predicting treatment outcomes in patients with sciatic leg pain due to a herniated lumbar disc. They speculated whether MRI could help determine whether to do back surgery now or stay the course with conservative care. Pure Chiropractic and the Concord, NC chiropractic low back pain patients we treat would love such a simple indicator! Study participants were randomly sent to surgical care or a course of prolonged conservative care. Two findings – a disc extrusion and nerve root compression on MRI in patients with less severe leg pain – signified a satisfactory outcome with either type of care. Another interesting finding: the size of the disc herniation at the beginning of care didn’t affect the outcome. There was no significant difference in outcomes between the two groups – surgical and conservative. (1) Pure Chiropractic sees similar reports more and more in the back pain research. Recall the Atlas studies of surgical and non-surgical interventions for back pain and sciatica? There wasn’t much variation in those landmark studies either: 50% vs. 53% non-surgical vs. surgical for back pain due to spinal stenosis (2) and 69% versus 61% surgical vs. non-surgical for sciatica (3).
Pure Chiropractic Offers Chiropractic Non-Surgical Care of Disc Herniation
Pure Chiropractic asks you to make a Concord, NC chiropractic appointment today. Trust Pure Chiropractic to provide evidence-based chiropractic care that alleviates your spine pain many times without an MRI. Together, we can set a non-surgical (and even potentially non-MRI!) treatment plan to alleviate your back pain.
Schedule your Concord, NC chiropractic appointment today.
