Size of La Grande Disc Herniation in Canal Isnt That Important
Disc herniations abound! 76% of us have one. (1) Do 76% of us have back pain right now? Thankfully, no! The presence of a disc herniation on imaging is not the important issue. The matter is whether that disc is producing pain either mechanically (by pressing on a nerve) or chemically (by irritating a nerve). Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC determines this in the course of the all-important physical exam. The MRI and other imaging studies are tools that can help - or distract - the chiropractic back pain treatment approach if the doctor and patient allow it. So let’s not allow it!
PERCENT OF SPINAL CANAL A DISC TAKES UP DOESN’T MATTER
Some imaging studies or MRI images will illustrate very large discs in back pain sufferers who have minimal or no pain while back pain sufferers who are in excruciating pain may show a small disc herniation. It can be annoying. Fortunately, research maintains that size isn’t everything. A research paper documented that there was no correlation of pain and disability with the size of a disc herniation seen on MRI. (2) Another study of 368 patients who had a lumbar disc herniation stated that 91.3% of them did not have back surgery within a year. The surgery patients’ discs occupied 31.5% of their spinal canal while the non-operative patients’ discs occupied 31.2% of their spinal canals. That is not much of a difference. Researchers wrote that this does not predict which patients will fail nonoperative treatment and need surgery within 2 years after undergoing a lumbar spine MRI scan. (3) In light of these findings, Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC chooses conservative treatment of these disc herniations.
CONSERVATIVE CARE EFFECT ON DISC SIZE
Chiropractors are back pain specialists. Your La Grande chiropractor is the La Grande back pain specialist. Disc herniations causing pain are welcome at Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC as the spinal research indicates that, though painful, disc herniations large and little react nicely to conservative treatment. Actually, in following up with patients who underwent conservative treatment for their disc herniation, 35% to 100% of the cases revealed a decrease in the size of the disc. (4) Two years after conservative care, herniated disc patients showed a 16.5% reduction in size. 57% of patients showed a reduction, 40% showed no change in size, and 3% showed a larger herniation. (5) More specifically, conservative treatment of the disc herniation with flexion distraction Cox® Technic produced increases in the measurements of the spinal canal by as much as 28% in area, 17% in height and 7% in width. (6) La Grande back pain sufferers are grateful for such improvement in their disc herniations as pain relief results.
CONTACT Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC
Listen to the PODCAST with Dr. George Joachim on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson. Dr. Joachim presents the case of a patient with a disc herniation resulting in spinal stenosis that generated considerable pain and alteration to her lifestyle which was improved with his use of the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Schedule your La Grande chiropractic appointment today. No matter its size, your disc herniation is in good company and in good hands at Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC.
