If you’ve ever experienced a searing shot of debilitating pain in your lower back that keeps right on going down the hip, butt and legs, you know all about sciatica. If you’re lucky, the pain subsides enough for you to take a deep breath and possibly stand up straight and shuffle to the nearest recliner. But the pain doesn’t fully retreat; it only becomes somewhat less excruciating and sitting around in a lounge chair or relying on painkillers and ice packs usually doesn’t do the job.
Sciatic pain can descend in a variety of ways: achy, sharp, dull, pins and needles or electric shock pain. Some people also feel burning, numbness, and tingling in their limbs. Sciatica affects millions of people and is sometimes referred to as neuropathy or radiating pain. It is typically caused by sciatic nerve compression via misaligned vertebrae, herniated discs, childbirth, or spinal tumors.
With so many potential causes, it is critical to determine what is causing sciatica in order to formulate a sound diagnosis. Testing can be completed with x-rays, MRI, CT scan, EMG tests, and nerve condition tests. Treatment of sciatica can then be administered pursuant to the patient’s needs. One such treatment is chiropractic, which leverages the body’s internal potential to heal itself.
Benefits of treating sciatica with chiropractic care
Patients don’t need referrals to see a chiropractor and this type of care is usually covered under insurance plans. Once in a clinic office, patients are looked after by doctors specifically trained to work with musculoskeletal issues to identify the root cause of painful symptoms. This is a critical step as many people are unsure how they hurt their back or what to do about the pain. In fact, a “sudden” onset of sciatic pain is most often a sign of muscle tightness or weak muscles.
Muscles in trouble
Our muscles are made of thousands of fibers, like a rope. Overuse or underuse cause the fibers to contract and form a knot of pain. These trigger points can pinch the sciatic nerve and cause an intense pain in the back and legs. What, then, is the solution?
Chiropractic treatment for sciatica
Manual therapy inherent in chiropractic care is the one of the best ways to treat sciatica. Reducing inflammation near trigger points helps muscle fibers relax, without the need for painkillers. In fact, sciatic pain is often relieved or eliminated after just four treatment visits, and patients can then continue basic exercises at home to prevent future symptoms.
