CHIROPRACTIC BENEFITS AMONGST HERNIATED DISC PATIENTS

• This study provides evidence that spinal manipulation is beneficial and without adverse effects, for patients with symptomatic, cervical disc herniation. Patients with radiculopathy are not only safely managed using high- velocity low amplitude adjustive/manipulative techniques but also experience improvement whether acute or chronic.

• The aim of this study was to evaluate the evolution of lumbar disc herniation in patients treated without surgery. The findings suggest that lumbar disc herniation may be a primarily nonsurgical disease.

• This study demonstrates that migrating, lateral-type herniations regress (heal) so frequently that conservative treatment should be chosen for patients with radicular pain from disc herniation. Active resorption of herniated material probably occurs during the acute phase and is more likely resorbed faster when extruded material is exposed to the epidural space rather than beneath the ligament. Therefore, the phase and position of extrusion were the significant factors affecting cervical disc herniation resorption and examination performed during the acute phase using magnetic resonance imaging may be necessary for elucidation of the pathogenesis of cervical disc herniation. Vascular supply probably plays a role in the mechanism of resorption as well.