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Chiropractic Relieves Disc Herniation Related Pain Often Without MRI

MRIs are cool. MRIs display impressive pictures of the body. Chiropractors appreciate spinal MRI images. Why? The spine is where chiropractors like your Sitka chiropractor live day in and day out. Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka values the MRI image study for what it is: a a piece of the diagnostic puzzle. But MRIs are not always a clinical necessity. Can MRI help determine 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 Sitka patient’s back pain, neck pain, arm pain or leg pain symptoms signal the demand for an MRI, Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka requests one for such a Sitka back pain patient. MRI may add to your Sitka chiropractor’s clinical perception of the condition oftentimes (but not always!).  Pre-treatment and post-MRI images are intriguing. Did the disc herniation reduce now that the pain left? Sitka chiropractic patients will often ask that of Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka. And researchers will examine MRIs for their research studies on just such a query.

The Curiosity of MRI

Researchers are not the only ones who curiously look at MRI images of low back pain sufferers to check 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. Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka knows our Sitka 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 decide whether to do back surgery now or stay the course with conservative care. Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka and the Sitka chiropractic low back pain patients we treat would love such a simple indicator! Study participants were randomized to surgery or prolonged conservative care. Two findings – a disc extrusion and nerve root compression on MRI in patients with less severe leg pain – suggested 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. The two groups revealed significant difference in outcomes between them – surgical and conservative. (1) Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka reads similar reports increasingly 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% vs. 61% surgical versus non-surgical for sciatica (3).

Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka Offers Chiropractic Non-Surgical Care of Disc Herniation

Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka invites you to make a Sitka chiropractic appointment today. Trust Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka to provide evidence-based chiropractic care that relieves your spine pain many times without an MRI. Together, we can set a non-surgical (and even potentially non-MRI!) treatment plan to reduce your back pain.

Schedule your Sitka chiropractic appointment now.

 
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"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."