The sciatic nerve is a large, important nerve that runs down the back of the leg. If it is compressed or damaged, it can cause serious pain and other issues. Chiropractors use treatments such as spinal decompression, spinal adjustments, and massage therapy to relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve and reduce pain.
You keep feeling a
shooting pain down your leg that makes it difficult to do daily tasks. It may be sciatic pain, which is caused by damage or pressure to the sciatic nerve. It’s important to not just ignore the pain, but seek treatment so that your symptoms don’t worsen. Thankfully, chiropractic care is a great option for treating sciatic pain. A chiropractor can create a treatment plan that includes physical therapy, spinal adjustments, and massage therapy.
Sciatic pain happens when the sciatic nerve is damaged or compressed. It’s a radiating pain that’s usually on one side of the body. The sciatic nerve is a large nerve that starts in the lower back and goes down your leg. Some symptoms of sciatica include numbness, radiating or shooting pain down the leg and in the buttocks, burning or tingling, weakness, and more. More serious cases of sciatica can cause muscle spasms and even atrophy. The pain and other symptoms may be constant, or they may worsen with movement or standing or sitting for long periods.
Sciatic pain is more common than you would think, with up to 40 percent of Americans experiencing it at some point. It affects a person’s ability to work, do household tasks, move, walk, sleep, and live their daily lives. For some people, sciatic pain can be debilitating. Many people rely on painkillers to dull the pain from their sciatica, but medication alone does not treat the root cause of their pain. A person’s body can become used to painkillers over time, leading to them no longer being effective.
Causes of Sciatica
Sciatica is usually caused by irritation to the sciatic nerve from compression or injury. However, there can be multiple factors that lead to the condition. Some examples include bone spurs, herniated discs, pregnancy, spinal stenosis, poor posture, spondylolisthesis, endometriosis, degenerated discs, tumors, trauma, injury, spinal misalignment, muscle tension, or piriformis syndrome. Because the sciatic nerve is so large, there are many ways that it can become irritated. Determining the root cause of your sciatic pain is important for proper treatment.
Chiropractic Care For Sciatic Pain
Many people suffering from sciatic pain are wary of invasive treatments such as surgery, and don’t want to over-rely on pain medication. Sciatic pain causes severe discomfort, making its victims desperate for relief. Thankfully, receiving treatment from an
experienced chiropractor can help relieve sciatic pain and associated symptoms.
1. Spinal Decompression
Spinal decompression is a common chiropractic technique in which the spine is gently stretched,
relieving pressure on the discs between the vertebrae, and on the surrounding soft tissues and nerves. Sometimes, the cause of sciatica is pressure where it shouldn’t be, and spinal decompression is able to relieve the pressure on the sciatic nerve.
2. Spinal Adjustments
Spinal adjustments are what chiropractors are best known for. They are a method in which the chiropractor applies specific pressure to a joint or vertebra to relieve pressure and help pop it back into proper alignment. Sometimes, a misaligned spine can put pressure on the sciatic nerve. It can also cause inflammation that irritates the sciatic nerve. Adjusting the spine can help reduce inflammation and take pressure off of the sciatic nerve, and restore mobility.
3. Massage Therapy
Many chiropractic clinics also offer
massage therapy services. Massage uses pressure to target soft tissues and help them relax. The massage therapist can target the area where the sciatic nerve runs through. Massage therapy can ease muscle tension that is irritating the sciatic nerve. Massage has also been shown to help lower pain levels and inflammation.
Instead of suffering from sciatic pain, reach out to Discover Life Chiropractic for treatment. We offer chiropractic and massage services that can treat chronic conditions such as sciatica. Discover Life Chiropractic helps our patients live life to the fullest by relieving their pain and other symptoms. Schedule an initial health exam with us so that we can determine the cause of your sciatic pain and tailor a treatment plan for your needs.
