In a recent study published in the Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapeutics, October 2010, Volume 33, Issue 8, research had concluded that spinal manipulation had the same effectiveness as microdiscectomy for patients that struggle with sciatica secondary to lumbar disc herniation.
Considering the risks and costs associated with spinal surgery, chiropractic seems to make sense as the first option for care in many cases of disc degeneration with sciatica symptoms. About 200,000 such surgeries happen in the U.S. each year at an average cost of $25,000. That’s $5 billion each year! Even if a chiropractic patient received 30 treatments in a year at $100 per visit, that would only cost $600 million vs. $5 billion at a savings of $4.4 billion per year. This is only ONE study. Want to help solve America’s health care crisis? Looks like chiropractic care is a step in the right direction in keeping people healthier and more active while keeping our costs down.
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