Bottom Line: We all know someone who has gone through spine surgery and has just never been the same. They may have gone into surgery hoping for a “quick” fix after 20, 30, or 40 years of neglect, but come out the same or worse than they began. Some people even go through multiple surgeries in a constant hunt to get back their quality of life.

Why it Matters: Top research publications have found that those risky and expensive surgeries often aren’t the best way to improve your quality of life when you have a disc herniation. In fact, Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to provide just as much improvement as surgery, without any of the risks.

• Most of the patients who were considered surgical candidates for a disc herniation improved with Chiropractic care to the same degree as those who had undergone surgery.
• An impressive 60% of patients with sciatica pain improved with Chiropractic adjustments to the same degree as those who underwent surgery.

Next Steps: Surgery is always the last resort, never the first option. Our bodies are designed to heal, even from disc herniations. Natural, conservative health care works with your body to improve your quality of life and get rid of your pain. We love sharing the real message of health with our community. “Like” and “Follow” our Facebook page and discover more research that matters.

Science Source:
(1) Outcomes from Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Confirmed Symptomatic Cervical Disk Herniation Patients Treated with High-Velocity, Low-Amplitude Spinal Manipulative Therapy. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. October 2013

(2) Outcomes of Acute and Chronic Patients with MRI Confirmed Symptomatic Lumbar Disc Herniations Receiving High-Velocity, Low-Amplitude,Spinal Manipulative Therapy: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study with One Year Follow-Up. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. March/April 2014

(3) Manipulation or Microdiskectomy for Sciatica? A Prospective Randomized Clinical Study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. October 2010

(4) Symptomatic MRI-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. May 2013