Approximately 70% of the population will have back pain at some point. Low-back pain (LBP) with associated leg pain due to a herniated intervertebral disc is one of the most severe and disabling forms of back pain. Many treatment options are available including chiropractic care, medication and surgery. A recently published cohort study examined 148 patients with low-back pain (LBP) and leg pain due to magnetic resonance imaging–confirmed disc herniation treated with chiropractic adjustments. Outcome measures included short-, medium-, and long-term self-reported global impression of change and pain levels at various time points up to 1 year to determine if outcomes differ between acute and chronic patients. Results showed significant improvement for all outcomes at all time points. At 3 months, 90.5% of patients were “improved” with 88.0% “improved” at 1 year. Although acute patients improved faster by 3 months, 81.8% of chronic patients reported “improvement” with 89.2% “improved” at 1 year. There were no adverse events reported. The study authors concluded that a large percentage of acute and importantly chronic lumbar disc herniation patients treated with chiropractic care reported clinically relevant improvement.
Low Back Disc Herniation Patients Improve With Chiropractic Adjustments
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About the Author: Dean Smith, DC, PhD
Dean Smith, DC, PhD, husband, and father of two children, is a highly respected health and wellness authority. He is a chiropractor at Essence of Wellness Chiropractic Center and a researcher and clinical professor at Miami University.
Dr. Smith incorporates lifestyle intervention (exercise, nutrition, other non-drug methods) with chiropractic adjustments and other manual methods to encourage optimal wellness. He has helped countless adults and children lead a life of wellness.
His research interests lie broadly in the area of human movement and coordination. He is most interested in how chiropractic, exercise and rehabilitation affect human performance.
His scientific articles have been published in such journals as Human Movement Science, Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Chiropractic Research Journal, Chiropractic and Osteopathy and The Open Neurology Journal. His training includes a Master’s degree in exercise science, a Doctor of Chiropractic degree and a PhD in brain and cognitive science with a focus on motor control and coordination. The International Federation of Sports Chiropractic has awarded him with the International Chiropractic Sport Science Diploma (ICSSD).
