Drs. Matt & Annie Reyes sees many patients weekly in our busy State College chiropractic office who are trying to find relief from the pain and issues they feel due to herniated discs. Our experience isn't unique; the medical research confirms that chiropractic treatment is a great way to treat herniated disc pain.
One particular research study involved 27 people, 8 male and 19 female, who had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirming a disc herniation in either their neck or lower back. The people reported that they were experiencing pain, limited range of motion, and sensory issues bad enough to keep them off work.
Over the course of the research period, the subjects were treated using one of two common chiropractic practices: traction for herniated discs in the cervical area or flexion distraction for the people who had herniation issues in the low back.
Each individual was seen four or five times per week for the first two weeks, then three times weekly, and then as needed for the rest of the study. Depending on the extent of the disc herniation, therapy varied anywhere from six weeks to six months, with MRIs being carried out at various stages to identify what impact, if any, the chiropractic care was having in regard to the disc herniation.
The researchers found that 80 percent of the subjects enjoyed a "good clinical outcome," meaning reduced pain and a reduction in other issues, such as numbness. Furthermore, 77% of these men and women also showed MRI evidence that their disc herniation was either reduced or resolved completely. This resulted in 78% of the study participants being able to return to their place of work and led the researchers to conclude that chiropractic care is both "safe and helpful" for disc herniations.
If you have a herniated disc and suffer from chronic back pain and are near Drs. Matt & Annie Reyes in State College, contact our office today to see what chiropractic adjustments can do for you!
Reference
BenEliyahu, DJ. Magnetic resonance imaging and clinical follow-up: study of 27 patients receiving chiropractic care for cervical and lumbar disc herniations. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1996;19(9):597-606.
Dr. Matt Reyes was born and raised in Apalachin, a small town in Upstate New York. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology with a concentration in Fitness Development from the State University at New York College at Cortland. He then fulfilled his ambition to become a Doctor of Chiropractic when he graduated from New York Chiropractic College in 2013.
