Painkillers may not be a viable option for sciatica patients writes Jia Naqvi from the Washington Post (March 28,2017. section E) in their article “Painkiller seems no better than placebo.” One of the highest prescribed drugs to treat sciatica, Lyrica, has been shown to be no more effective than a placebo. A study released by in the New England Journal of Medicine conveys that among 209 sciatic patients the drug “showed no significant differences in leg pain intensity between the group on placebo and that on Lyrica after eight weeks taking the drug or during the rest of the year on follow-up exams. Similarly, there were no differences for other outcomes such as back pain, quality of life and degree of disability.”

Back pain is one of the chief complaints among people who seek chiropractic help.  So it’s not wonder that “around 12 percent of the world’s population has lower back pain at any one time, and around 5-10 percent of those with pain have sciatica.” One of the interesting points  that was brought up  in the article was that “nearly two-thirds of the participants were very satisfied or satisfied with their drug regimen, regardless of  whether they were taking Lyrica or a placebo.” Perhaps people take more comfort in pills than finding a hands-on alternative help like chiropractic care.

On the other hand, chiropractic care boasts superior pain relief over medication. In a study from the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (January 2005, Volume 28, Number 1). Chiropractic adjustments reigned superior over both medication and acupuncture. The percent of improvement in patients from the study found a 45%  improvement compared with 15% in acupuncture and 18% in drugs (Celebrx, Vioxx).

Time and time again chiropractic care has been celebrated as a viable option for patients who have back pain and sciatica.