Friday, December 16, 2011

Manipulation or Microdiskectomy for Sciatica ?

From: J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2010 Oct;33(8):576-84.

Spinal manipulation (sometimes referred to as a 'spinal adjustment') is the Chiropractors primary therapy. Microdiscectomy is a surgical procedure which removes a portion of the facet joint (part of the spine) as well as a portion of the herniated disc which is "pinching" the nerve root.





This study concluded: "Sixty percent of patients with sciatica who had failed other medical management benefited from spinal manipulation to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention. Of 40% left unsatisfied, subsequent surgical intervention confers excellent outcome. Patients with symptomatic LDH failing medical management should consider spinal manipulation followed by surgery if warranted."

Conclusions: Have sciatica ? Considering the surgical options ? Why not try Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation which, according to this study, has a 60% chance of giving you the same outcome as if you were to have surgery. If all else fails, the surgical option is always available right ? Well, why not try non-surgical VAX-D Spinal Decompression Therapy.

Dr. Hindocha performs Chiropractic therapy and non-surgical Spinal Decompression therapy in San Mateo, California. Have you been diagnosed with Sciatica, a Herniated, Bulging or "Slipped" disc ? Call Peninsula Spine & Sports Rehabilitation at (650) 347-2225 to find out if you can benefit with Chiropractic care or VAX-D Spinal Decompression therapy.

 

Do Chiropractic Physician services for the treatment of Low Back and Neck Pain improve the value of health benefit plans ?



Traditionally, Doctors and Insurance plans have often disagreed on how to manage a patients health. For a Doctor, we recommend treatments and diagnostic testing (X-ray, MRI, CT, nerve testing) which we feel will give us the most accurate diagnosis and therefore formulate a treatment plan tailored to our patients needs. Insurance plans see their clients as liabilities and have therefore have hired third party individuals specifically to deny care and therefore cut costs of medically necessary treatment and diagnostics.

The Foundation for Chiropractic progress funded the following study to determine the COST SAVINGS to health benefit plans utilizing Chiropractic care for neck and low back complaints compared to Physician visits:

In a 2009 study titled "Do Chiropractic Physician Services for Treatment of Low Back and Neck Pain Improve the Value of Health Benefit Plans ? An Evidence-Based Assessment of Incremental Impact on Population Health and Total Health Care Spending" by Niteesh Choudhry, MD, PhD from Harvard Medical School and Arnold Milstein, MD, MPH from Mercer Health and Benefits, San Francisco concluded:

"When considering the effectiveness and cost together, chiropractic physician care for low back and neck pain is highly cost effective, [and] represents good value in comparison to medical physician care and to widely accepted cost-effectiveness thresholds. Because we were unable to incorporate savings in drug spending commonly associated with US chiropractic care, our estimate of its comparitive cost effectiveness is likely understated."

What was compared was the costs associated with Chiropractic physician care for episodes of neck and low back pain vs. costs associated with traditional Medical care (Medical doctor visits, Hospital visits, outpatient Physical Therapy and interventions). Note: the costs associated with medications WERE NOT factored into the calculations therefore the estimate of its comparitive cost effectiveness is likely understated.

Dr. Rommel Hindocha is a practicing Chiropractor in San Mateo. We offer quality Chiropractic care for neck and low back conditions. We are participating providers on most medical insurance plans including PPO, HMO, Kaiser, Workers Compensation and accepting automobile insurance plans (Medical Payments). If you, or someone you know, has a neck or low back complaint, call Dr. Hindocha at Peninsula Spine and Sports Rehabilitation in San Mateo at (650) 347-2225.