In India, Chiropractic not being a well recognised therapy we can and should give a serious trial of Physiotherapy (guided & not just exercises) before we even think of and recommend surgery.

Team@CMHF

Suddenly there is an epidemic of back pain and spinal surgeries. A question arises, are so many surgeries necessary? Are we exaggerating the so called “Slipped disc” and “pulled muscle” problems and lead the patients to spinal surgery? Medical researchers have criticised this basic premise of abnormal disc surgery. Our knowledge and understanding of back pain needs to be revised. We ignore or forget the role of spinal joints and altered spinal mechanics in this pain process.

Studies show that paradoxically in the MRIs of two people, both showing degenerative discs, but in one case there is little to no pain, while in the other, extreme pain. On the other hand, you can see a healthy spine but the patient has severe pain. And bulging degenerated, and even herniated discs in the spine are common among healthy people with no symptoms.

Also it is noted that “back surgery rates are highest where MRIs are the highest.” Ignorance and inept training on musculoskeletal disorders, many primary care medical physicians are more likely to ignore recent guidelines and more likely to suggest spine surgery than surgeons themselves.

“The net result is increased risks of unnecessary surgery for patients and increased costs for everybody else” The spine surgery decision should be based on pathophysiological disorder (spine dysfunction, mal alignment, loss of flexibility etc) rather than pathoanatomical disorders (herniated disc, arthritis, etc.)

Studies recommends that if chiropractic care were substituted as a first-line treatment for low back and neck pain, the billion dollar expense could be reduced drastically. Not only would the cost of medical treatments decrease; so would disability costs and workers’ compensation expenses. With the new research showing the efficacy of chiropractic care, primary care physicians should opt for this option before considering spinal surgery.

Reference= http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=55285