Sciatica is a common ailment and when the pain persists, it can be unbearable. It can lead to muscle weakness in addition to severe pain. Sciatica pain is normally explained as a piercing and shooting pain from the back down the leg. Chiropractic care is considered one of the best treatments for sciatica as it provides lasting relief.
What Is Sciatica?
Sciatica pain is normally triggered when the sciatic nerve is squeezed and/or is out of position. This nerve travels from the lower back toward the hip and down the legs. The resulting pain can be located in the back, hip, or legs as it follows the nerve path. It is not only felt at the particular spot it has occurred but it is also felt throughout the whole length. For some individuals, sciatic nerve pain is only felt on one side of the body. This means the pain may be mild and might be reduced without serious treatments. On the other hand, individuals suffering from sciatic pain on both sides of the body may experience chronic pain. It might feel like deep aches or shocks. This can also occur on one side of the body if the pain is severe enough. Prolonged pinching of the sciatic nerve can cause the nerve itself to weaken or cause numbness if treatment is not sought out. Sciatica commonly occurs when a herniated disc in the spine squeezes the sciatic nerve. Sciatica that is ignored can cause real and lasting damage to the sciatic nerve, causing an individual to suffer permanent numbness of the legs and loss of bladder and bowel control.
Symptoms
- Some common symptoms of sciatica are as follows:
- Weakness, numbness, poor motion when trying to move foot or legs
- An excruciating pain, reoccurring on one or either side of the lower back
- An unbearable and chronic pain that makes standing up a difficult task
- Pain in the leg that causes more trauma when sitting
- Burning or tingling rush of pain from the lower back to the leg
- Recurring pain felt in one buttock
Causes Of Sciatica
Before initiating any treatment plan, a chiropractor first examines the patient to find out the cause of his or her sciatic condition. This examination helps prepare an individualized plan that can help in overcoming the problem. Typically, sciatica is caused by a slipped or herniated disc. Even though there may be more causes, it originates from the herniated disc, mounting pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Other causes include the following:
Spinal Wear and Tear: This impacts the lower spinal muscles, and it is mostly categorized by the age of an individual, poor body alignment, and excessive weight.
Piriformis Syndrome: This includes an involuntary contraction or tightening of the piriformis muscles.
Pregnancy: This causes additional stretching pressure on the spinal nerve.
Spinal Stenosis: This involves the reduction of the spinal passage in the back.
Spondylolisthesis: This happens when one vertebra slides quickly on top of another vertebra.
Degenerative Disc Disease: This influences the disc that intermediates the vertebrae.
Chiropractic Care For Sciatica
Chiropractic care is one of the best treatment options for the treatment of sciatica. It provides relief permanently, and when compared with other treatment alternatives, it addresses the problem at the root. It treats the condition and eases the symptoms. The American College of Physicians endorses chiropractic care for sciatica as the first treatment approach when fighting lower back pain, ahead of narcotics, surgeries, injections, and muscle relaxers!
Treatment Involved
Many individuals believe that chiropractic care only involves spinal massages along the neck and back to relieve pain. Even though this may be true, it goes beyond neck and back cracking. Chiropractors normally apply different treatment methods to the adjustment process to deal with the nerve pain from the root.
The following methods are applied during chiropractic care for sciatica treatment:
Muscle Adjustment or Spinal Manipulations:
This is the most vital part of chiropractic care for muscle and spinal conditions. The process is administered to loosen tension in the spine and allow adequate flexibility. It also reestablishes a correct alignment of vertebrae that have encountered subluxation.
Ice/Cold Therapy:
This method is applied to lessen spinal inflammation.
TENS Unit:
This is a movable spinal stimulation machine, which produces an electrical flow of current to control pain and lessen muscle contractions.
Ultrasound:
This brings relief to pain through mild heat, transported by a sound wave that makes its way into the muscles. It increases the circulation of fluid while reducing stiffness, general pain, and muscle contractions.
Recommended Exercises and Stretches:
This strategy is often suggested by the chiropractic physician. It helps in completely restoring the part of the body experiencing pain. Exercise can aid treatment efficiency and must continue even when treatment has been completed. Additionally, muscle decompression therapy is a good treatment that can provide permanent relief from sciatica.
How Chiropractors Help Sciatica Patients
Whether chiropractic physicians utilize the treatment of sciatica through spinal adjustments by hand or by machine, the aim is to provide relief in the painful area or areas. Since chiropractic care can address the herniated disc and supply the body with permanent relief, the pain felt in the sciatic nerve is reduced.
Patients are often satisfied with the quick results experienced through chiropractic care. Truly, chiropractic care is more effective than other treatment measures when treating sciatic nerve conditions. However, continuous routine treatment at a chiropractic office can help in retraining the spine, as this causes the newly aligned vertebra to stay well maintained.
For the body to adjust completely, it is vital to carry out muscle exercises and get treatments for the mildest pain you may experience, even after treating sciatica. You can undergo acupuncture and deep tissue massages, as well as regular exercises. All of these techniques improve your health and help relax your muscles.
Conclusion
Chiropractors can use spinal adjustments and manipulation techniques to relieve sciatica and the pain it causes. Many individuals who have received such care have reported that they achieved relief after visiting a chiropractor for treatment of their sciatic nerve pain. Chiropractic care is safe, and there are no risk factors involved. Also, it treats sciatica in a more holistic and long-term manner than other alternative treatments like taking pain relief medications, muscle relaxants, and even surgery.
For more info about dealing with your sciatica, call Champion Wellness Centers of Valrico at 813-409-3304.