Thank you Art for the information!
Kim,
Thanks for your question. In general, chiropractic care has a reputation for helping patients avoid surgery. Having not examined you or seen your imaging studies, it’s not really my place to tell you one way or the other. But what I can say is that when a person has time on their side, they have the luxury of being able to explore possible alternatives to surgery.
Success rates vary… and not all herniated discs require surgery. There have been studies that show back surgery only works ~50% of the time. Spinal fusion impacts the segments above and below the surgical site – info that isn’t always explained to you in advance.
Is it possible that spinal decompression can help you? Maybe… Is it possible that chiropractic can help you? Yes, it’s quite possible…
Both are certainly work exploring. You can always fall back on the surgery as a last resort.
In your particular case, I encourage you to investigate a special form of chiropractic known as Upper Cervical Care. An online patient education website can be found at www.UpCspine.com. There’s also a referral directory there. Amongst the various Upper Cervical techniques, look for a doctor who performs the NUCCA, Grostic, Blair, Palmer Specific or Atlas Orthogonal procedures. These adjustments are all very gentle, and do not involve twisting or popping of the neck.
Best of luck to you, and I hope this answer has helped you.
Warm wishes,
ART