You’ve probably heard of sciatica before, but do you know what it is? The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the human body. The term sciatic pain refers to pain that runs along the sciatic nerve, which is typically felt on one side of the body and includes pain in your hip, legs, buttocks, leg, or foot.
Sciatic pain is caused when pressure is put on the sciatic nerve which could be caused by a degenerated disc, a herniated disc, or a bony protrusion from one of your spinal segments. It can also be caused by a narrowing of the spine. Inflammation is one of the most common side effects and sciatica symptoms also include:
- Pain in the thigh
- Pain in the lower leg
- Numbness along the affected area
- Leg weakness
- Pain in the upper or lower foot
- Foot drop or foot weakness
- Pain in the buttocks
During your chiropractic exam, we will determine the cause of your sciatic pain and develop a treatment plan unique to your needs. Our treatment plan typically includes a three-step process:
- Reduce inflammation. Inflammation is the common culprit of sciatic nerve pain. In order to treat the pain, we need to determine what is causing it. What area is inflamed and where is the sciatic nerve being compressed? Treatment typically includes a number of therapies including chiropractic adjustments, diet control, and massage therapy. The first step is designed to provide sciatic pain relief.
- Correct movement. The next step helps our patients understand the correct way to move through a combination of chiropractic care and physical therapy. You may not even realize it, but the way you carry yourself could be negatively impacting your sciatic nerve, causing pain. During this step, we will retrain your muscles. We will also make adjustments designed to stabilize your posture which will help to revive joint function, relieve nerve stress, and restructure the ligaments.
- Stabilize muscles. Once inflammation has been reduced and movement has been corrected, the final step is to reinforce mechanics and strengthen muscles through movement techniques. Here is where we introduce the establishment of long-term habits, which may or may not require specialized treatments unique to your needs.
Frequently Asked Sciatica Questions
How do you get sciatica?
Sciatica is often the result of cumulative damage. Years of bad posture, poor muscle tone, excess weight or countless other causes sets the stage. Then, something simple like bending over to tie your shoes can trigger an episode. Spinal decay can be another culprit. Instead of disc thinning that puts pressure on the sciatic nerve roots, arthritic bone spurs can intrude into the space normally reserved for the nerve.
Can chiropractic cure sciatica?
The chiropractic approach to sciatica (and other health problems) is to help restore the way your spine works, reducing nerve irritation and revitalizing your own healing ability.
How much chiropractic care will be needed?
Most sciatica patients are delighted with the results they get after weeks or months of care. Naturally, this varies from patient to patient, however we recommend regular chiropractic check-ups to ensure this problem does not persist.
Our team has the skills and experience to be your chiropractor for sciatica. If you are experiencing back pain and sciatica, we can help. Schedule a consultation today!
Our Expert Doctors
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What Our Patients Say
What to Expect
Relief Chiropractic Care
When patients come to us in pain, our top priority is to help relieve that pain so they can find comfort and feel better. While some patients feel relief in as little as one visit, it can take 2-3 visits per week for 4-12 weeks to achieve lasting real pain relief.
Corrective/Restorative Chiropractic Care
Muscles and tissues heal more completely during the corrective care phase, which prevents and reduces the risk of further injury. This phase typically requires 4-8 visits per month for 6-24 months depending on the severity of the issue.
Wellness Chiropractic Care
Once your body has completely healed, periodic adjustments become an important part of your healthcare regimen to avoid problems in the future. Based on your lifestyle and goals, we hope to see you 1-4 times per month.
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