If You Have Sciatica Pain, a Chiropractor Can Help
A chiropractic adjustment can remove compression caused by sciatica, helping the surrounding muscles to heal, strengthen, and re-stabilize on their own!
Sciatica pain is described as sharp, needle-like, similar to dull electric shock. Other symptoms include the feeling of numbness, burning, and tingling sensation. The pain isn’t constant, instead, it varies in intensity and frequency and can increase or decrease from day-to-day.
The most common cause of sciatica is thought to be herniated or bulging discs and the resulting compression in nerves causes the nerves and surrounding muscles to become inflamed and swell, leading to pain.
Causes & Symptoms of Sciatica
Typically, sciatica only affects one side of the body, however, sciatica pain may feel different for different people depending on the location of the nerve compression. The most common symptom is radiating pain running down the lower back towards one or both the legs and sometimes into the feet. The feeling is also described as tingly and/or a burning or prickly.
The intensity and extent of pain also vary from person to person depending on the age, gender, and health of the patient. The symptoms of Sciatica include:
- Concentrated pain in the lower body
- Sharp pain originating in the lower back
- Dull ache and numbness in legs
- Pain when standing and moving
Sciatica is generally caused by sciatic nerve compression leading to the inflammation of the lower lumbosacral spine, sensory loss, paralysis of one of the legs or muscles. The reasons may vary from person to person, however, two of the most common causes include Spondylolisthesis and Piriformis syndrome.
A Slipped or herniated disk, known as Spondylolisthesis causes sensory loss, numbness, and pain. This happens when the lower vertebra slips forward over another. Piriformis syndrome, on the other hand, leads to sciatica pain because of nerve compression. The Piriformis muscle is located in the lower part of the spine near the thighbone and aid in hip rotation. The sciatic nerve runs beneath the Piriformis muscle and is susceptible to fall or other trauma resulting in injury and irritation.
Other reasons leading to sciatic pain include narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back called spinal stenosis; the degeneration of the disc that cushion the vertebrae. Additionally, conditions like diabetes, pregnancy, obesity, and wearing high heels may add a severe strain on the spine causing inflammation and sciatica symptoms.
How to Know if You Have Sciatica
There are conditions that have symptoms similar to sciatic pain, therefore, the first step is proper diagnosis. The chiropractor also takes into consideration your medical history to get an understanding of the problem, potential causes, and possible solutions.
For proper diagnosis, you may be asked to get a CT Scan, an MRI, or an x-ray. Besides these, the chiropractor may also conduct a physical and neurological exam. The tests are helpful in detecting where the actual problem is and the exact nature of it. Once there is a proper diagnosis, the chiropractor is able to devise a plan for the treatment.
Why a Chiropractor is Great for Treating Sciatica
Conservative treatment for treating sciatic pain or any other pain is usually pain medication, however, non-invasive methods like physiotherapy and chiropractic care have proven to be effective for pain treatment. Chiropractors use spinal manipulations for treating sciatica pain.
Spinal manipulations (subluxations) is the technique that differentiates chiropractic care from other forms of physical therapy. Chiropractors learn various techniques for applying swift high-velocity thrusts which combine minimal force with gentle pressure to manipulate vertebra, and joints back into their original position.
The adjustment and manipulation are meant to re-align the spine to take off the pressure of the sciatic nerve to relieve pain and allow the body to heal on its own. Once the joint/vertebra is back into its position, the inflammation decreases and the healing process begins.
According to chiropractors, Sciatica pain is an indication of restricted movement or compression of the sciatic nerves. They believe that once the compression is removed via chiropractic adjustment, the surrounding muscles will be able to heal, strengthen, and re-stabilize on their own. A spinal adjustment is meant to free the restricted movement of the spine in order to reduce irritability and inflammation.
They also help restore the misaligned vertebra to their proper position to reduce pain, spasms, and numbness. The adjustments are usually gentle and have proven to be a safe and effective method for re-stabilizing the spine. In a nutshell, a chiropractor’s goal is to help your body heal itself with non-invasive, drug-free treatment using manipulations and adjustments of the spine.
Facts About Sciatica
Should I avoid exercise if I have sciatic pain? This is one of the most commonly asked questions, and the answer is no. It is a common misconception that exercise or working out will aggravate the pain or inflammation, however, it is misguided. It is true that most patients are recommended bed rest after the initial flare-up since resting will definitely ease the pain, especially if the flare-up is a result of a fall or injury. However, in the long run, avoiding physical activity and exercise will lead to increased pain and inflammation due to inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle.
Another important point I’d like to mention here is that exercise and physical activity have proven to alleviate pain in patients suffering from chronic pain and if you have sciatica pain, light exercise can help ease your pain and decrease inflammation. Besides this, lack of exercise can cause the back muscles to weaken even more. Exercise also keeps your spinal vertebra and surrounding disc active and healthy, therefore allowing the body to bounce back to normal quickly. Similarly, being physically active will keep your leg muscles and hamstrings flexible, whereas, tight hamstrings add stress to legs and lower back.
You will find that most chiropractors will recommend light exercise in any program they formulate and you should continue exercise routine even after your sciatica pain is treated. Though, keep in mind that before beginning any exercise program you should consult your chiropractor or primary health professional and ask if the exercise you are considering won’t hurt your back or spine.
Chiropractic care is a great resource for those suffering from sciatica pain. Not only does the treatment offers non-invasive treatment option, but also helps stabilize the spine muscles and bones to aid the body to heal on its own.
Many patients recover from an episode of sciatica within a few weeks, while others may need more time to heal. Whatever the nature and cause of the issue are, at Well Health & Chiropractic we provide you with complete chiropractic care solutions along with having a holistic approach to treatment and pain relief to help you avoid long-term pain and promote natural healing!
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If You Have Sciatica Pain, a Chiropractor Can Help
A chiropractic adjustment can remove compression caused by sciatica, helping the surrounding muscles to heal, strengthen, and re-stabilize on their own!
Sciatica pain is described as sharp, needle-like, similar to dull electric shock. Other symptoms include the feeling of numbness, burning, and tingling sensation. The pain isn’t constant, instead, it varies in intensity and frequency and can increase or decrease from day-to-day.
The most common cause of sciatica is thought to be herniated or bulging discs and the resulting compression in nerves causes the nerves and surrounding muscles to become inflamed and swell, leading to pain.
Causes & Symptoms of Sciatica
Typically, sciatica only affects one side of the body, however, sciatica pain may feel different for different people depending on the location of the nerve compression. The most common symptom is radiating pain running down the lower back towards one or both the legs and sometimes into the feet. The feeling is also described as tingly and/or a burning or prickly.
The intensity and extent of pain also vary from person to person depending on the age, gender, and health of the patient. The symptoms of Sciatica include:
- Concentrated pain in the lower body
- Sharp pain originating in the lower back
- Dull ache and numbness in legs
- Pain when standing and moving
Sciatica is generally caused by sciatic nerve compression leading to the inflammation of the lower lumbosacral spine, sensory loss, paralysis of one of the legs or muscles. The reasons may vary from person to person, however, two of the most common causes include Spondylolisthesis and Piriformis syndrome.
A Slipped or herniated disk, known as Spondylolisthesis causes sensory loss, numbness, and pain. This happens when the lower vertebra slips forward over another. Piriformis syndrome, on the other hand, leads to sciatica pain because of nerve compression. The Piriformis muscle is located in the lower part of the spine near the thighbone and aid in hip rotation. The sciatic nerve runs beneath the Piriformis muscle and is susceptible to fall or other trauma resulting in injury and irritation.
Other reasons leading to sciatic pain include narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back called spinal stenosis; the degeneration of the disc that cushion the vertebrae. Additionally, conditions like diabetes, pregnancy, obesity, and wearing high heels may add a severe strain on the spine causing inflammation and sciatica symptoms.
How to Know if You Have Sciatica
There are conditions that have symptoms similar to sciatic pain, therefore, the first step is proper diagnosis. The chiropractor also takes into consideration your medical history to get an understanding of the problem, potential causes, and possible solutions.
For proper diagnosis, you may be asked to get a CT Scan, an MRI, or an x-ray. Besides these, the chiropractor may also conduct a physical and neurological exam. The tests are helpful in detecting where the actual problem is and the exact nature of it. Once there is a proper diagnosis, the chiropractor is able to devise a plan for the treatment.
Why a Chiropractor is Great for Treating Sciatica
Conservative treatment for treating sciatic pain or any other pain is usually pain medication, however, non-invasive methods like physiotherapy and chiropractic care have proven to be effective for pain treatment. Chiropractors use spinal manipulations for treating sciatica pain.
Spinal manipulations (subluxations) is the technique that differentiates chiropractic care from other forms of physical therapy. Chiropractors learn various techniques for applying swift high-velocity thrusts which combine minimal force with gentle pressure to manipulate vertebra, and joints back into their original position.
The adjustment and manipulation are meant to re-align the spine to take off the pressure of the sciatic nerve to relieve pain and allow the body to heal on its own. Once the joint/vertebra is back into its position, the inflammation decreases and the healing process begins.
According to chiropractors, Sciatica pain is an indication of restricted movement or compression of the sciatic nerves. They believe that once the compression is removed via chiropractic adjustment, the surrounding muscles will be able to heal, strengthen, and re-stabilize on their own. A spinal adjustment is meant to free the restricted movement of the spine in order to reduce irritability and inflammation.
They also help restore the misaligned vertebra to their proper position to reduce pain, spasms, and numbness. The adjustments are usually gentle and have proven to be a safe and effective method for re-stabilizing the spine. In a nutshell, a chiropractor’s goal is to help your body heal itself with non-invasive, drug-free treatment using manipulations and adjustments of the spine.
Facts About Sciatica
Should I avoid exercise if I have sciatic pain? This is one of the most commonly asked questions, and the answer is no. It is a common misconception that exercise or working out will aggravate the pain or inflammation, however, it is misguided. It is true that most patients are recommended bed rest after the initial flare-up since resting will definitely ease the pain, especially if the flare-up is a result of a fall or injury. However, in the long run, avoiding physical activity and exercise will lead to increased pain and inflammation due to inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle.
Another important point I’d like to mention here is that exercise and physical activity have proven to alleviate pain in patients suffering from chronic pain and if you have sciatica pain, light exercise can help ease your pain and decrease inflammation. Besides this, lack of exercise can cause the back muscles to weaken even more. Exercise also keeps your spinal vertebra and surrounding disc active and healthy, therefore allowing the body to bounce back to normal quickly. Similarly, being physically active will keep your leg muscles and hamstrings flexible, whereas, tight hamstrings add stress to legs and lower back.
You will find that most chiropractors will recommend light exercise in any program they formulate and you should continue exercise routine even after your sciatica pain is treated. Though, keep in mind that before beginning any exercise program you should consult your chiropractor or primary health professional and ask if the exercise you are considering won’t hurt your back or spine.
Chiropractic care is a great resource for those suffering from sciatica pain. Not only does the treatment offers non-invasive treatment option, but also helps stabilize the spine muscles and bones to aid the body to heal on its own.
Many patients recover from an episode of sciatica within a few weeks, while others may need more time to heal. Whatever the nature and cause of the issue are, at Well Health & Chiropractic we provide you with complete chiropractic care solutions along with having a holistic approach to treatment and pain relief to help you avoid long-term pain and promote natural healing!