BACK PAIN
Herniated disc: what is it?
Before talking about the famous herniated disc that everyone dreads, it is appropriate to talk about the intervertebral disc. It is the anatomical structure located between each of our vertebrae. It is a real shock absorber.
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To schematize it can be compared to a sponge. As long as the articulation around the disc keeps its mobility, the latter is irrigated by the arteries and like a wet sponge, keeps its flexibility. But when the joint is blocked (due to bad positions, shocks, falls, ...) the disc is no longer irrigated and becomes more fragile. It is at this point that the injury occurs, the outer layer of the disc can then crack and the thick gel inside the disc (the nucleus) which was well locked in its box can thus go out and compress a nerve root or even more serious the spinal cord.
Depending on the nature and severity of the disc herniation, chiropractic care can be a serious and effective alternative.
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Low back pain is pain in the lumbar region. Lumbago is acute low back pain. These pains in the lower back have different origins: most often they are joint blockages that can cause irritation of the nerves, which is the source of muscle contraction and pain in the back. Chiropractic is the treatment of choice for back problems. There are many studies on the effectiveness of chiropractic on back pain.
Sciatica: myth or reality?
Sciatica is a pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, that is to say from the buttock through the back of the thigh and leg and ending most frequently on the lateral side of the foot (5th toe ).
The symptoms are very diverse as they can also include burning sensations, tingling, or numbness or muscle weakness in the leg or foot.
The causes of sciatica could be lumbar disc herniation, degenerative and osteoarthritic changes, spondylolysthesis (one vertebra moving forward on another), stenosis (narrowing) of the lumbar canal, dysfunction of the sacroiliac joint, or contraction of the piriformis / pyramidal muscle.
Sciatica is often accompanied by lumbar discomfort and is seen more in the young subject with a peak at 40 years.
Chiropractic in all this?
Studies show, chiropractic is an important ally in the management of sciatica or other low back pain.
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The Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Chiropractic Management of Low-Back Pain
This study shows that chiropractic care is more effective, safer and above all less expensive than the medical approach for back pain. In addition, the patient survey revealed that they were more satisfied with chiropractic care and able to resume their jobs more quickly.
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The Appropriateness of Spinal Manipulation for Low-Back Bread: Indications and Ratings by a Multidisciplinary Expert Panel
RAND, one of the most prestigious research centers for scientific and technical procedures, explored different treatments for back pain. Researchers, made up of doctors and chiropractors, showed that spinal manipulation is very effective for patients with lumbago.
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Outcomes of Acute and Chronic Patients with Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Confirmed Symptomatic Lumbar Disc Herniations Receiving High-Velocity, Low-Amplitude, Spinal Manipulative Therapy: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study with One-Year Follow-Up
This study evaluated the effectiveness of chiropractic care for back pain and leg pain due to MRI-confirmed herniations over a short, medium, and long period (after one year). At 3 months, 90.5% were improved, and 88% were improved one year later. Although acute patients experienced faster improvement, 81.8% of chronic patients reported improvement at 3 months and 89.2% at one year.
Spinal Manipulation and Home Care with Advice for Sub-acute and Chronic Back-Related Bread: A Trial with Adaptive Allocation
This study investigated the effects of chiropractic spinal manipulation combined with the exercises given for back pain. The result: the combination of the two are more effective than exercise alone for patients with sciatica.