Spinal surgery is performed on thousands of adults each year and ranks only behind Caesarean section as a cause for surgical hospitalization.

There is such a wide range of practice patterns, diagnoses and treatments in the area of spinal surgeries, that a high rate of variability has emerged. This variability has created a black hole into which the scientific basis for validity and effectiveness of back surgeries disappears.

Scientific literature is virtually devoid of randomized, controlled clinical trials which document certain back surgery procedures. Studies are conflicting. For example, one study revealed that unsatisfactory long-term relief of symptoms after back surgeries is reported in 15-40% of patients. Another study shows that 70% of those who have had surgery for low back pain still report pain 4-17 years after surgery.

Chiropractic offers a patient-oriented, conservative approach to the treatment of back pain.This approach has yielded patient satisfaction and has been proven to be effective through randomized, controlled clinical trials.

The high levels of chiropractic patient satisfaction are significantly unprecedented when weighed against the failure rates of low back surgeries.

SOURCE:Chiropractic for Low Back Pain:An Alternative to Surgery; Callahan & Cianciulli; Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research, Publication #9676.