Drs. Matt & Annie Reyes sees many patients weekly in our busy State College, PA chiropractic office who are looking for relief from the pain and suffering they feel due to herniated discs. Our experience isn't unique; the scientific literature confirms that chiropractic is a successful way to treat herniated disc pain.
One particular research project 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 patients documented that they were experiencing pain, reduced range of motion, and sensory problems bad enough to keep them off work.
During the course of the research study, the participants were managed using one of two common chiropractic practices: traction for herniated discs in the cervical area or flexion distraction for the men and women who had herniation issues in the lumbar area.
Each man or woman was treated 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 performed 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 patients experienced a "good clinical outcome," meaning reduced pain and a reduction in other symptoms, such as numbness. Additionally, 77 percent of these men and women also showed MRI evidence that their disc herniation was either reduced or resolved completely. This resulted in 78 percent of the study participants being able to return to their place of employment 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, PA, contact our office today to see what chiropractic 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.
