DrJohnEtcheverryDC.com has helped many patients in San Francisco, CA who have suffered from disc herniations and radicular pain. This 2013 study shows that chiropractic works just as well as spinal injections, which carry risks.
Epidural steroid injections are often used to treat disc herniations and back pain. Unfortunately, these injections only provide short-term relief and come with side effects like dizziness, headache, and weakening of the spinal bones and muscles. They can even result in fractures of the spinal bones!
To see whether patients could avoid these dangers, this study compared the efficacy of epidural injections to chiropractic adjustments in 102 patients with lumbar disc herniation. 76% of chiropractic patients reported feeling "better" or "much better" after treatment, compared to 62.5% of injection patients. Chiropractic patients showed equal improvements in pain; 60% of chiropractic patients had significant reductions in pain, compared to 53% of injection patients.
Additionally, chiropractic patients had lower medical costs, saving an average of 23% compared to medical costs.
If you live in San Francisco and have been diagnosed with a disc herniation, try a natural approach before injections or surgery. Call our office today at (415) 793-4575 for a consultation or appointment.
Peterson CK, Leemann S, Lechmann M, et al. 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 imaging-guided lumbar nerve root injections. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2013;36(4):218-225
Peterson CK, Schmid C, Leemann S, et al. Outcomes from magnetic resonance imaging-confirmed symptomatic cervical disk herniation patients treated with high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulative therapy: a prospective cohort study with 3-month follow-up. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2013;36(8):461-7​