Dr. Ramsey works with countless sciatica patients here in our Gresham office, and many of these patients were nervous that they might need surgery to treat their pain. The most recent research indicates that a large number of people don't need surgery for this widespread issue, and that chiropractic is more successful at clearing up sciatic nerve pain.
A popular surgery for sciatica is microdiscectomy, and in a 2010 study, specialists looked at 80 individuals 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 received chiropractic care.
Both groups improved; however, no noticeable difference in outcome was recorded one year post-treatment between either group. In addition, roughly 60 percent of the participating subjects who could not find relief from any other treatment approach "benefited from spinal manipulation to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention."
In other words, chiropractic provided the same positive benefits as surgery without needing to undergo the increased amounts of surgery-based pain or suffer through lengthy recovery times often affiliated with that particular treatment method. Plus, you also don't run the risks affiliated with surgical microdiscectomy, which includes nerve root damage, bowel or bladder incontinence, bleeding, or infection.
Surgery should be the last option for sciatica pain. If you live in Gresham and you're being affected by back pain or sciatica, give Dr. Ramsey a call today at (503) 667-6744. We'll help determine the source of your pain and work hard to get you relief.
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Dr. Robert Ramsey and the talented team at Gresham Family Chiropractic have been providing the best chiropractic care available to patients in Gresham, OR since 1997. We treat many conditions related to back pain, neck pain, headaches, and sciatica. Dr. Ramsey also specializes in the treatment of auto accident injuries and work injuries sustained on the job.
