Chiropractic and Disc Herniation Treatment

Dr. Covington sees many patients weekly in our busy Yakima chiropractic office who are looking for relief from the pain and agony they feel due to herniated discs. Our experience isn't unique; the medical literature verifies that chiropractic is a successful way to treat herniated disc problems.

Don't Suffer! Dr. Covington and Chiropractic Care Helps With Disc Herniation

One particular 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, reduced range of motion, and sensory issues bad enough to keep them off work.

Over the course of the research study, the individuals were treated using one of two common chiropractic techniques: traction for herniated discs in the cervical area or flexion distraction for the patients who had herniation issues in the lumbar area.

Each person was treated four or five times per week for the first two weeks, then three times each week, and then as needed for the rest of the study. Based on the severity of the disc herniation, treatment varied anywhere from six weeks to six months, with MRIs being conducted at a variety of stages to determine what impact, if any, the chiropractic care was having in regard to the disc herniation.

Research Supports Chiropractic Helps With Back Pain and Herniated Disc

The authors discovered that 80 percent of the patients enjoyed a "good clinical outcome," meaning reduced pain and a reduction in other symptoms, such as numbness. Furthermore, 77 percent of these subjects also showed MRI evidence that their disc herniation was either reduced or resolved completely. This resulted in 78 percent of the study subjects being able to return to their place of employment and led the authors to conclude that chiropractic is both "safe and helpful" for disc herniations.

If you have a herniated disc and suffer from chronic back pain and are near Dr. Covington in Yakima, 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.