A 2010 clinical study compared the clinical efficacy of spinal manipulation against microdiscectomy in patients secondary to lumbar disc herniation. Forty patients who met the criteria (failed at least 3 months of nonoperative management including treatments with analgesics, lifestyle modifications, physiotherapy, massage therapy and/or acupuncture) were randomized to either surgical microdiskectomy or standardized chiropractic spinal manipulation.
Significant improvements in both treatment groups compared to baseline scores were observed in all outcome measures. After one year follow up, there did not appear to be a difference in outcome based on the original treatment received. 60% of the patients who had failed other medical management benefited from spinal manipulation to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention. Of the 40% left unsatisfied, surgical intervention conferred excellent results.
The conclusion of the study was patients with lumbar disc herniation failing medical management should consider spinal manipulation followed by surgery if warranted.
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