Chiropractic Reduces Disc Herniation Related Pain Often Without MRI

MRIs are fascinating. They display some amazing images of the body. Chiropractors appreciate spinal MRI images. Why? The spine is your Ashburn and Herndon chiropractor’s realm! Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn values the MRI image study for what it is: a tool. But MRIs are not always a clinical necessity. Can MRI help decide whether to use non-surgical care or surgical care for back pain relief? Read on for the latest news.

The Usefulness of MRI

When a Ashburn and Herndon patient’s back pain, neck pain, arm pain or leg pain symptoms denote the demand for an MRI, Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn requests one for such a Ashburn and Herndon back pain patient. MRI may enhance your Ashburn and Herndon chiropractor’s clinical perception of the condition oftentimes (but not always!).  Pre-treatment and post-MRI images are intriguing. Did the disc herniation reduce now that the pain is gone? Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic patients will often ask that of Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn. And researchers will examine MRIs for their research studies on just such a question.

The Curiosity of MRI

Researchers are not the only ones who curiously survey MRI images of low back pain sufferers to see if there is any connection between pain and no pain and the MRI at the beginning and end of treatment for back pain. Patients wonder, too. Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn is well aware that our Ashburn and Herndon back pain patients wonder!

In noticing that doctors and patients dealing with back pain like MRIs, a group of 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. Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn and the Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic low back pain patients we care for 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 form of care. Another interesting finding:  the size of the disc herniation at the beginning of caredid not affect the outcome. There was no significant difference in outcomes between them – surgical and conservative. (1) Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn reads similar reports more and more in the back pain research.  Remember 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% vs. 61% surgical vs. non-surgical for sciatica (3).

Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn Offers Chiropractic Non-Surgical Care of Disc Herniation

Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn encourages you to make a Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic appointment today. Trust Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn to provide evidence-based chiropractic care that alleviates your spine pain many times without an MRI. Together, we can create a non-surgical (and even potentially non-MRI!) treatment plan to lessen your back pain.

Schedule your Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic appointment today.