A number of patients have come into our Portland office in search of help from cervical disc herniation, and Dr. Helton is often able to help relieve the pain by addressing the problem at its source. Apparently, this is no real surprise as chiropractic therapy has been found to have a great improvement rate when it comes to treating herniated discs in the neck area, with one piece of research published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics citing that number as high as 85 percent.
Researchers from Zurich, Switzerland studied 50 individuals between 18 and 65 years of age with cervical disc herniation which was confirmed through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Their goal was to determine how effective chiropractic is at helping cervical disc herniation symptoms, generally referred to as cervical radiculopathy, which include pain in the neck and arm area, along with various neurological or sensory concerns or changes.
Each person was assessed prior to the study beginning, as well as two weeks, one month, and three months later, giving researchers a clearer view of any changes that occurred to their herniation symptoms over time. The chiropractic that each individual engaged in was high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulation at the rate of 3-5 treatments weekly for the first few weeks, reducing that amount to 1-3 times a week until the patient no longer experienced the originally reported issues.
Two weeks into treatment, slightly more than half (55 percent) of the individuals who were participating reported an improvement in their condition. This amount increased to almost 69% when questioned at the one month interval, growing even more to just over 85 percent at the three month mark. Even 76 percent of the chronic cervical disc herniation participants reported favorable effects, including reduced neck and arm pain, as well as less disability.
As a side note, no adverse effects or negative responses to the treatment were noted. This suggests that chiropractic adjustments is a safe as well as effective remedy for people dealing with from symptoms commonly associated with cervical disc herniation.
If you're suffering from cervical disc herniation, contact us at (503) 771-1974 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Helton today!
Reference
Peterson CK et al. (2013, October). Outcomes from magnetic resonance imaging-confirmed symptomatic cervical disk herniation patients treated with high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulative therapy: a prospective cohort study with 3-month follow-up. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 36(8), 461-467, doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2013.07.002
Dr. Helton, a Portland chiropractor, has been providing chiropractic health care and treatment for accident injuries for over 30 years. Dr. Helton specializes and is an expert in the evaluation and treatment of injuries from auto accidents. He has passed advanced certification training and testing by the Spine Research Institute of San Diego in the evaluation, treatment, and management of injuries from whiplash and brain traumatology.
