Size of Minster Disc Herniation in Canal Isnt That Important

76% of us has a disc herniation. (1) Do all 76% have back pain right now? Thankfully, no! The presence of a disc herniation on imaging is not the important issue. The concern is whether that disc is causing pain either mechanically (by pressing on a nerve) or chemically (by irritating a nerve). Minster Chiropractic Center determines this in the course of the all-important physical exam. The MRI and other imaging studies are extras that can help - or distract - the chiropractic back pain treatment approach if the doctor and patient let it. So let’s not allow it! 

PERCENT OF SPINAL CANAL A DISC TAKES UP DOESN’T MATTER

Some imaging studies or MRI images will show huge discs in back pain sufferers who have not a lot of or no pain while back pain sufferers who are in unbearable pain may have a minimal disc herniation. It can be upsetting. Luckily, research continues to comfort all involved by explaining that size is not everything. A study reported that there was no correlation of pain and disability with the size of a disc herniation seen on MRI. (2) Another study of 368 patients who had a lumbar disc herniation stated that 91.3% of them did not have back surgery within a year. The surgery patients’ discs took up 31.5% of their spinal canal while the non-surgical patients’ discs took up 31.2% of their spinal canals. That is not much of a difference. Researchers report that this does not predict which patients will fail nonsurgical treatment and require surgery within 2 years after getting a lumbar spine MRI scan. (3) In light of these findings, Minster Chiropractic Center chooses conservative treatment of these disc herniations.

CONSERVATIVE CARE EFFECT ON DISC SIZE

Chiropractors are back pain specialists. Your Minster chiropractor is the Minster back pain specialist. Painful disc herniations are accepted at Minster Chiropractic Center as the spinal research shows that, though painful, disc herniations big and little react well to conservative treatment. As a matter of fact, in following up with patients who chose conservative treatment for their disc herniation, 35% to 100% of the cases showed a reduction in the size of the disc. (4) Two years after conservative care, herniated disc patients showed a 16.5% reduction in size. 57% of patients showed a reduction, 40% demonstrated no change in size, and 3% had a bigger herniation. (5) More specifically, conservative treatment of the disc herniation with flexion distraction Cox® Technic delivered increases in the measurements of the spinal canal by as much as 28% in area, 17% in height and 7% in width. (6) Minster back pain sufferers are grateful for such improvement in their disc herniations as pain relief results.

CONTACT Minster Chiropractic Center

Listen to the PODCAST with Dr. George Joachim on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson. Dr. Joachim presents the case of a patient with a disc herniation preoducing spinal stenosis that created considerable pain and alteration to her lifestyle which was enhanced with his use of the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

Schedule your Minster chiropractic appointment today. Regardless of its size, your disc herniation is in good company and in good hands at Minster Chiropractic Center.