Sciatica causes pain such as tingling, numbness, pain, and weakness within the legs, or even the arms. The severity and persistence of this pain vary from patient to patient and it should be diagnosed to avoid causing further damage and discomfort. The good news is, chiropractic care can treat as much as 72% of all sciatica cases.
Governor’s Park Chiropractic is a full-service chiropractor that approaches each of our clients as a unique case. We partner with you to achieve the success and pain relief you deserve from chiropractic care. We want to see you moving freely and experiencing life pain-free. If you suffer from sciatic pain, Continue reading to learn what chiropractic care can do to help.
WHAT IS SCIATICA?
Sciatica is a condition affecting the lower back that travels along the sciatic nerve path. The sciatic nerve path starts in the lower back and extends down each side of the hip, buttocks, and leg. Typically, patients only experience sciatic pain in one leg. However, cases vary and patients can experience pain in both legs.
Sciatica often occurs in conjunction with other spinal conditions such as spinal bone spurs, herniated disks, or spinal stenosis. These conditions can compress the nerve, resulting in inflammation, numbness, pain, and stiffness in the affected leg.
Sciatic pain can be severe, but most cases are treatable and can resolve pain within a matter of weeks without surgical intervention. If patients experience extreme weakness in the affected leg or have problems with their bowels or bladder caused by sciatic nerve pressure, doctors may recommend surgery.
If the sciatica case doesn’t require surgery, most doctors will prescribe pain treatment and muscle relaxation medication. However, there are nonsurgical therapies such as chiropractic care that can treat sciatica without the risks.
DIAGNOSING SCIATICA
If you suspect you have sciatica, your chiropractor should ask you questions about symptoms and perform some exams to gain a clearer picture of your condition. Your treatment plan should depend on the cause of your sciatica. For example, sciatica caused by a herniated disk requires different treatment methods than sciatica caused by a pinched nerve.
To get the most out of your diagnosis phase, come prepared to answer the following questions:
- When did your pain start?
- Where do you feel your sciatic pain? Is the pain in both legs? What percentage of your leg? Does it stop at the knee?
- Do you feel weakness or tingling?
- What activities have you been doing?
- Does walking up or downhill increase your pain?
- Have you done anything to remedy your sciatic pain? Have you tried particular medications or exercises?
- Does anything aggravate or alleviate your pain?
A critical aspect of diagnosing your sciatica is uncovering how long it has been there and how much it affects your life. Answering these questions will help your chiropractor determine a comprehensive treatment plan. They will also look at your posture and range of motion to determine the next steps for treatment.
SCIATICA SYMPTOMS THAT REQUIRE CHIROPRACTIC CARE
Chiropractors use holistic approaches to sciatic treatment that can bring you relief. If you notice the following symptoms, you should consult a chiropractor to see what treatment they can provide.
Numbness In Lower Extremities
One of the most common symptoms of sciatica is numbness in the lower extremities. Patients typically feel this numbness after sitting or walking for a long time.
Frequent Lower Back Pain
General back pain has some key differences from sciatica patients should understand. Sciatica can stem from other conditions such as torn muscles, herniated disks, and severe inflammation. Sciatica is also a nerve condition. The two conditions should be diagnosed and treated according to their specific characteristics.
Sharp Nerve Pain
Sciatica can pinch nerves in the leg, causing sharp, shooting pains.
Intense Burning Sensation
Sciatica can cause intense burning sensations in areas with pinched nerves. Patients commonly feel these sensations in their lower back muscles and their upper buttocks.
Pain Sitting or Standing
A patient can feel intense pain or tenderness standing or sitting down. The pressure from sciatica gets placed on leg muscles and nerves occurs while making other body movements.
HOW DOES CHIROPRACTIC CARE TREAT SCIATICA SYMPTOMS?
Chiropractic Adjustments
Chiropractic adjustments are adjustments chiropractors make to your spine by manually shifting vertebrae into their respective places. They can either use their hands or special instruments. These adjustments can be effective for sciatic pain caused by herniated disks, lumbar spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a holistic back pain treatment that uses tiny needles to relieve nerve pressure and increase endorphins. It does this by increasing circulation to the affected area, reducing pain and tension. Acupuncture is often used in conjunction with other therapies such as chiropractic adjustments to achieve the best results.
Diet and Physical Therapy
Things such as posture, poor diet, and lack of exercise can either cause or exacerbate sciatica. Sticking to a nutritious diet and performing strengthening exercises in physical therapy can help rebuild weakened muscles that contribute to sciatic pain. Sciatic patients should perform these exercises under expert supervision so as not to risk further injury.
FINDING SCIATICA
There are five different points that can be compressed in the lumbar spine area. The sciatic nerve runs from the pelvis through your back, under your bottom, and down towards your hip, then into each leg. Your entire nervous system is connected to your nerves, so there aren’t any solitary nerve structures. A bone spur or herniated disc can cause the compression of a nerve, resulting in sciatica pain.
Some common causes include:
- Trauma
- Spondylolisthesis
- Piriformis syndrome
- Bulging or herniated discs
- Spinal tumors
- Lumbar spinal stenosis
CONCLUSION
If you’re dealing with this condition, it’s important to seek sciatica treatment in Denver or Lone Tree from Governor’s Park Chiropractic.
Our chiropractor, Dr. Omid Ferdowsian, will be able to map out your pain to determine where the compression is coming from. Knowing this is the all-important first step toward correcting the problem. Seeing a chiropractor will ensure that your pain is eased as you work toward a long-term solution.
To learn more about the high-quality care that Governor’s Park Chiropractic provides to patients dealing with sciatica pain, or to schedule an appointment, call the Denver office at (303) 831-1122 or the Lone Tree office at (303) 831-1122 today!