Lumbar Radiculopathy & Chiropractic

A 2009 study of 49 patients presenting with lumbar radiculopathy, secondary to disk herniation, revealed, "Improvement was described as "good" or "excellent" in nearly 90% of patients." In this study the patients received multidisciplinary care which included chiropractic manipulative therapy and physical therapy. In terms of the number of treatments required for this condition, the author's state, "mean number of visits was 13.2; after an average long-term follow-up of 14.5 months, mean self-rated improvement was 81.1%." The results are incredible when you consider the alternatives including surgery, injections and medication. How wonderful for a 2009 study to document the effectiveness of non-invasive therapy for lumbar radiculopathy secondary to disk herniation.

According to American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine guidelines, p. 113-114, research suggests that multidisciplinary care is beneficial for most persons with chronic pain, and likely should be considered the treatment of choice for persons who are at risk for, or who have, chronic pain and disability. Flor et al. (1992) conducted a meta-analytic review of multidisciplinary pain treatment for chronic back pain, which concluded chronic pain patients treated in multidisciplinary programs were functioning better than 75% of control patients who either received no treatment or who were treated by conventional uni-modal approaches.

While the components and approaches of multidisciplinary care often differ, the hallmarks of such programs include: 1) Thorough, multidisciplinary assessment of the patient, 2) The establishment of a time-limited treatment plan with clear functional goals, 3) Frequent assessment of the patient's progress toward meeting such goals, 4) Modification of the treatment plan as appropriate, based on the patient's progress.

Please consider All-Star Chiropractic and our unique, three-step multi-modal, approach toward rehabilitation for all your spine and health related concerns. You deserve to live your life free from pain! Your body can heal and you can be healthy without drugs or surgery. Our approach is unlike any other form of health care available. Have you tried it yet?


Reference:

Murphy, D. Hurwitz, E. McGovern, E. A Nonsurgical Approach to the Management of Patients with Lumbar Radiculopathy Secondary to Herniated Disk: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study with Follow-Up. Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapeutics. November 2009, Vol 32, Issue 9, pp 723-733.

American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Occupational Medicine Practice Guidelines: Evaluation and Management of Common Health Problems and Functional Recovery in Workers. Massachusetts: OEM Press, 2nd Edition, 2003.
Chapter 6; "Pain, Suffering and the Restoration of Function." Pages 105-126.

Flor H, Fydrich T, Turk DC. Efficacy of multidisciplinary pain treatment centers: meta-analytic review. Pain. 1992; 49:221-30.

North American Spine Society. Phase III Clinical guidelines for Multidisciplinary Spine Care Specialists. Version 1.0.