Many people believe that if they have an extended period of back pain, the only way to alleviate the pain is to undergo back surgery. While surgery is sometimes necessary, the damage that can result from the surgery can leave the patient in worse condition than they were in prior to the surgery. Proper treatment of the spine can help alleviate the pain that is being experienced and help prevent the pain from returning. Unlike back surgery, which carries the risk of serious complications following the procedure, chiropractic care carries no major side effects, aside from some slight soreness following the first couple treatments.
In a study published in the Spine Journal and the US National Library of Medicine, researchers studied 1885 workers who had recently suffered a back injury. Out of those 1885 workers, 174 (9.2%) had spinal surgery within three years of their injury. Reduced odds of surgery were seen for those under the age of 35, females, Hispanics, and those who visited a chiropractor as their first provider seen for the injury. Only 1.5% of injured workers who visited a chiropractor first ended up requiring surgery, while 42.7% of injured workers who visited a surgeon first ended up requiring surgery. The researchers described this as a “strong association” between surgery and the first provider seen.
The drastic difference between the likelihood of surgery between those who visited a chiropractor first and those who visited a surgeon first can be attributed to a couple key factors. First of all, chiropractors are experts of the structure and function of the spine, therefore allowing them to more accurately diagnose the injury suffered and recommend the most effective treatment based on that diagnosis. A second factor in what makes chiropractic more effective in avoiding back surgery is the holistic approach that chiropractic incorporates. A main principle of chiropractic is that the treatment assists the body in helping itself heal. By treating the spine, which is the source of the nervous system, chiropractic can improve the function of the nervous system thus reducing pain throughout the body. This is very different than visiting a surgeon, who is only treating the injury, not the source of the injury.
If you or someone you know is suffering from back pain and have considered back surgery, give Advanced Chiropractic & Rehab a call today at (330) 726-7404 to schedule a free consultation to see how we can help. We have been servicing the Youngstown and Mahoning Valley area since 2001 with convenient locations in Boardman, Hubbard, and Kinsman. At Advanced Chiropractic & Rehab, we are a multi-disciplinary rehabilitation group that treats work comp injuries, whiplash, sports injuries and specializes in much more than just low back pain.
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