Should you have back surgery?

A study published in the health journal Spine reports that patients who have had lower back surgery are likely to continue to experience problems, and in some cases, require a second surgery.

A total of 109 patients who had surgery on their herniated discs were tracked up to 20 years after their operation. 36 percent of these patients reported unsatisfactory results during the follow-up period. More than 25 percent of these patients continued to experience leg and/or back pain, with 7.3 percent requiring a second surgery.

In sharp contrast, the New England Journal of Medicine reported that patients suffering from low back pain were much more satisfied with the results provided by chiropractic adjustment than patients who sought the help of medical doctors.

Back pain can be a seriously debilitating affliction. For many people, chiropractic care is a time-tested method that can reduce—even eliminate—the pain and discomfort of back problems. At the first sign of discomfort, schedule a chiropractic adjustment and give your body the opportunity to heal itself naturally, before you consider drug or invasive procedures.

[Source: New England Journal of Medicine, 1/96]