Years ago, being told you need back surgery was never good news.
There was only a 50/50 chance you’d get any sort of relief. And oftentimes, patients complained of actually feeling worse after having their surgery.
Over the past few decades, though, the surgical procedures have improved and patients have a lot more success than their predecessors.
But wouldn’t it be nice to avoid surgery in the first place?
There have been many patients which have been able to forego a trip to the operating room by getting regular chiropractic care.
Today, we’ll explain how chiropractic treatment can help people with sciatica, disc, and lower back issues avoid surgery.
How Chiropractic Care Can Keep You Out of the Operating Room
Back pain is not uncommon. In fact, it is one of the most common causes of pain complaints. It’s not difficult to see why.
The spinal column is home to all of our nerves. If there’s something wrong with the muscles, discs, or vertebrae it will affect the nerves. When our nerves are damaged, pinched, or not aligned properly it can lead to a lot of pain.
Let’s take the sciatic nerve as an example.
This is the largest nerve in the body and it runs from the lumbar plexus (in the lower back) to the thighs. The nerve signals sent through it run from the lower back all the way down to the feet.
Various patients can come into our practice complaining of lower back pain, hamstring pain, or foot pain and the cause might very well be the same thing: The sciatic nerve.
Over time, damage can occur from wear and tear or trauma. This is the case for every part of the body. The result is lessened mobility and pain.
For many doctors, the obvious treatment option is surgery.
However, chiropractic care can not only improve the patient’s situation – it can even prevent surgery completely.
How so?
Through gentle spinal manipulation, the chiropractor can reduce pressure on the spine as a whole, or individual discs and nerves. Proper alignment alleviates pain and can even improve balance and mobility.
What if you have bulging or herniated discs? This definitely means you need surgery, right?
Not necessarily. We can help you achieve relief with a technique called spinal decompression. This takes pressure off of the discs, helps to properly realign vertebrae, and relaxes the muscles of the back.
Many of our patients have stated they’ve noticed remarkable improvement in pain reduction with this procedure. And this means you might be able to avoid surgery completely.
The Importance of Incorporating Massage and Exercise into Your Back Care Routine
In addition to getting regular adjustments from a chiropractor, we also highly recommend additional treatments.
These include exercises like stretching, moderate strength training, and yoga. This is in addition to some form of gentle cardio, like walking, biking, or swimming.
Exercises which keep the muscles flexible and strong help to keep the spine in proper alignment.
Keeping your core muscles strong is the best way to support all of the components the spinal column.
Additionally, massage therapy will keep your muscles happy.
Due to stress, our muscles tighten. This is completely uncomfortable if they’re strained for long periods of time, which can easily happen in this stress-filled world.
Not only are tight muscles uncomfortable, they can lead to problems with spinal alignment. The reverse can also happen. If your spine is out of alignment, the muscles will tighten to compensate.
This causes strain and soreness.
To alleviate this, regular massage therapy is indicated.
When you get a massage, your muscles return to their natural strong-yet-relaxed state. Massage also encourages proper blood circulation throughout the body. Better circulation assists the body in healing more quickly from injuries.
A few more benefits of massage include increased flexibility and the release of endorphins, which can reduce pain as well.
Why It’s Always a Good Idea to Get a Second Opinion If Surgery Is Recommended
When you’re told by a medical professional you need a certain medical procedure, it’s easy to take what they say as law. After all, they’re the ones with the medical degrees.
It’s good to remember you can – and should – get a second opinion for serious medical procedures like surgery.
We recommend talking to your chiropractor and even another doctor to make sure there aren’t some other options.
You might be pleasantly surprised with regular exercise, massage therapy, and chiropractic care there’s a strong possibility you can put off or even avoid surgery altogether.