When most people think about chiropractic, they think about neck and back pain. Although chiropractic has a long track record of helping many individuals with these concerns, many will seek out their medical doctor to address them. In fact, back problems are one of the top reasons why people visit their medical doctor. Often times, you will be prescribed some sort of pain killer, anti-inflammatory, or muscle relaxant. Although these medications may decrease the pain, it only masks the problem and never corrects the underlying issue. At other times, you may be referred to a physical therapist to rehabilitate certain muscle groups. Physical therapy is a great option, but it will never correct a structural issue in the spine. And finally, you may be referred to a neuro or orthopedic specialist for a surgical consultation.
Interestingly, the prestigious journal Spine looked at the relative risk of surgery in people suffering with lower back pain. The results were shocking! Over the 3-year period, 1,885 individuals were studied. Those whose first point of contact was a surgeon had a 42.7% rate of having surgery. Those who first sought chiropractic care had a surgery rate of 1.5%! Furthermore, most who underwent surgery had poorer long term outcomes than those who did not.
There are 3 common forms of back surgery:
Laminectomy: removing the lamina portion of the vertebra to relieve nerve root compression (pinched nerve).
Discectomy: removing a portion of a disc to relieve pressure on a nerve.
Spinal fusion: wires, rods, screws, or other materials are used to permanently fuse two or more vertebrae to create artificial stability.
There are many, many complications that often arise following back surgery. In fact, there is an actual diagnosis called “failed back surgery syndrome,” which is a condition characterized by chronic pain following back surgery. The success rate of back surgery is very poor and many people will need to undergo another invasive surgical procedure. Steve Kerr, the head coach of the Golden State Warriors, is currently struggling through the many complications from his back surgery, and he recently said, “If you’re listening out there, if you have a back problem, stay away from surgery. I can say that from the bottom of my heart.”
Most hospital bills for surgery amount to upwards of $100,000 and can easily bankrupt many families. The next time a family member, friend, or co-worker experiences low back pain, show them some love and share with them how chiropractic could not only help with the pain but decrease their risk of expensive and risky surgeries!
Once surgery has been done, there is no turning back because it is permanent. Because of the extremely invasive nature of surgery, the high cost, the side effects, and the long recovery, it is highly recommended to seek out chiropractic corrective care first to address the back problems at it’s source.
Drs. Joshua and Daniel at Keystone Chiropractic have helped many individuals suffering with neck and back pain in the Plano, Frisco, Allen, McKinney, and surrounding North Dallas communities. They focus specifically on neuro-structural chiropractic and use advanced technology to pinpoint the exact areas that need to be corrected. Allow Keystone Chiropractic to assist you in gaining victory over your back pain. Live Better Now!
