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Chiropractic Reduces Disc Herniation Related Pain Often Without MRI

MRIs are fascinating. MRIs display pretty pictures of the body. Chiropractors appreciate spinal MRI images. Why? The spine is where chiropractors like your Burlington and Hamilton chiropractor live day in and day out. Spinal Care Clinic values the MRI image study for what it is: a a piece of the diagnostic puzzle. But MRIs are not always clinically necessary. Can MRI help decide whether to use non-surgical care or surgical care for back pain relief? Read on for the most recent news.

The Usefulness of MRI

When a Burlington and Hamilton patient’s back pain, neck pain, arm pain or leg pain symptoms indicate the need for an MRI, Spinal Care Clinic arranges one for such a Burlington and Hamilton back pain patient. MRI may enhance your Burlington and Hamilton chiropractor’s clinical knowledge of the condition oftentimes (but not always!).  Pre-treatment and post-MRI images are intriguing. Did the disc herniation shrink now that the pain left? Burlington and Hamilton chiropractic patients will often ask that of Spinal Care Clinic. And researchers will examine MRIs for their research studies on just such a query.

The Curiosity of MRI

Researchers are not the only ones who curiously look at MRI images of low back pain sufferers to see if there is any correlation between pain and no pain and the MRI pre and post treatment for back pain. Patients wonder, too. Spinal Care Clinic knows our Burlington and Hamilton back pain patients wonder!

Knowing that doctors and patients find MRI images a curiosity when there is back pain and leg pain, some researchers planned to determine the value of MRI in predicting treatment outcomes in patients who had a herniated lumbar disc with sciatica. They speculated whether MRI could help determine whether to do back surgery now or stay the course with conservative care. Spinal Care Clinic and the Burlington and Hamilton chiropractic low back pain patients we treat would love such a simple guide! Study participants were randomly sent to surgical care or a course of prolonged conservative care. Two findings – a disc extrusion and nerve root compression on MRI in patients with less severe leg pain – suggested a satisfactory outcome with either type of care. Another noteworthy finding:  the size of the disc herniation at the beginning of care didn’t affect the outcome. There was no significant difference in outcomes between them – surgical and conservative. (1) Spinal Care Clinic sees similar reports more and more in the back pain research.  Recall the Atlas studies of surgical and non-surgical interventions for back pain and sciatica? There wasn’t much variation in those classic studies either: 50% vs. 53% non-surgical versus surgical for back pain due to spinal stenosis (2) and 69% versus 61% surgical versus non-surgical for sciatica (3).

Spinal Care Clinic Offers Chiropractic Non-Surgical Care of Disc Herniation

Spinal Care Clinic invites you to make a Burlington and Hamilton chiropractic appointment today. Trust Spinal Care Clinic to provide evidence-based chiropractic care that relieves your spine pain many times without an MRI. Together, we can set a non-surgical (and even potentially non-MRI!) treatment plan to lessen your back pain.

Schedule your Burlington and Hamilton chiropractic appointment now.

 
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"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."