January 2026 Healthy News from Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC: Safe, Beneficial Help for Low Back Pain due to Disc Herniation
SAFETY OF CHIROPRACTIC SPINAL MANIPULATION FOR LUMBAR DISC CONDITIONS
Great news if you're suffering from back pain: chiropractic spinal manipulation, like Cox® Technic that we use here at Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC, proves itself to have a beneficial safety profile for patients with lumbar disc herniation, lumbar spinal stenosis, and radiculopathy, with remarkably low rates of serious adverse events. A retrospective cohort study that looked at over 168,000 adults with low back pain treated at US academic health centers found no cases of cauda equina syndrome after chiropractic spinal manipulation, yielding an upper 95% confidence interval of 2.2 cases per 100,000 patients. (1) This is good! More specifically, among patients with lumbar disc herniation, stenosis, or radiculopathy, the risk of cauda equina syndrome following chiropractic manipulation was assessed as 0.88 per 100,000 patients, which was statistically comparable to the risk linked with physical therapist-led exercise (0.44 per 100,000). (2) These findings signify that spinal manipulation, when performed by trained chiropractors, has minimal risk even in vulnerable populations with significant spinal pathology. The evidence suggests that worry about complications from chiropractic care for these conditions may be overdone, favoring its consideration as a conservative treatment option within appropriate clinical guidelines and patient selection criteria. (1,2) As a chiropractic patient at our La Grande clinic, you are in well-trained, well-experienced hands to manage your condition safely and successfully!
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Brandon Skiles on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson about the gentle, safe, effective treatment of a disc herniation following the protocols of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE MONTH: A Fresh Exercise Approach for Chronic Disc Pain Relief
If you're struggling with chronic disc pain, a novel exercise approach called dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS) may well be the answer you've been looking for to add to your spine’s exercise routine. This protocol retrains your body's natural movement patterns—similar to how babies learn to stabilize their spine before walking. A recent study reported that patients doing DNS exercises experienced significant pain relief, better mobility, and stronger core muscles. What makes DNS different is that it does not just strengthen muscles; it teaches your body to move correctly again by restoring natural coordination and core stability, potentially giving lasting relief from chronic back pain. (3) Let’s talk at your next chiropractic visit about the appropriateness of this exercise for you and your spine before you try this.
We wish you a happy 2026 and are so grateful for your including us as a member of your spine’s healthcare team!
Make your La Grande chiropractic appointment with Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC now!