Sciatica Relief
Many people who hear the term, "sciatica," think of a painful condition or ailment. Not so, sciatica is actually only a symptom of a condition or ailment. Those who have experienced it describe it as pain that starts in the lower spine and radiates to the buttock and down into the back of the leg, from the thigh through the calf. The pain can range from mild to excruciating and may be accompanied by muscle weakness or numbness in the leg or a feeling of "pins and needles" in the toes or foot of the affected leg.
Most often, sciatica occurs when a nerve root in the lower (lumbar) spine is compressed, as a result of a herniated disc or other conditions that put pressure on the sciatic nerve, such as:
Spinal Stenosis – a narrowing of the spinal canal that places pressure on nerves in the lumbar region
Piriformis syndrome – a tightness in the piriformis muscle, which runs directly above the sciatic nerve into both legs, that exerts pressure on the sciatic nerve
Spondylolisthesis – a condition that often results from degenerative disc disease where one vertebra slips out of place, slightly forward over another vertebra, pinching the sciatic nerve at the place where it exits from the spinal cord
Tumors – can put pressure on the spinal cord and nerve endings, causing the pain associated with sciatica
Trauma – auto accidents, slips, or falls that injure the roots of the sciatic nerve, can cause pain
So, once you have sciatica, how do you deal with it? Although some health care professionals may suggest cold/hot packs and bed rest initially, staying in bed won't really help your sciatica. In fact, inactivity could actually worsen the pain, so at least try to keep up with normal daily activities. Pain medications and over-the-counter drugs may offer limited pain relief, but often not without side effects, and they do nothing to relieve the cause of the pain.
Most who come to our office respond well to chiropractic adjustments, a safe and natural approach to improving function and relieving the pain. Chiropractic care addresses the underlying problem causing the pain! Our approach to sciatica attempts to restore the way your spine and nervous system work, which reduces nerve irritation, ignites your body's own ability to heal, and relieves the pain associated with sciatica.
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