Drs. Matt & Annie Reyes works with countless sciatica patients here in our State College office, and several of these individuals were concerned that they might require surgery to eliminate their pain. The most recent research shows that many people don't require surgery for this common problem, and that chiropractic treatment is more effective at resolving sciatic nerve discomfort.
A typical surgery for sciatica is microdiscectomy, and in a 2010 study, researchers examined 80 individuals with sciatica who were referred for this operation.
Forty patients were then randomly placed in one of two groups. The first group was to receive surgical microdiscectomy and the second group was given chiropractic care.
Both groups improved; however, no obvious difference in outcome was reported one year post-treatment between the surgery group and the chiropractic group. In addition, around 60% of the participating subjects who could not find pain relief from any other treatment method "benefited from spinal manipulation to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention."
Simply put, chiropractic treatment provided the same positive benefits as surgery without needing to undergo the greater levels of surgery-based pain or suffer through drawn-out recovery times often associated with that particular treatment option. 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 ought to be the last resort for sciatica pain. If you live in State College and you're being affected by back discomfort or sciatica, give Drs. Matt & Annie Reyes a call today at (814) 308-9352. We'll help identify the start of your pain and work hard to get you help and living pain free.
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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.
