Chiropractic Care and Treatment for Sciatica Pain
One of the most common reasons why people visit a health care professional has to do with low back pain. This is a leading cause of disability in the United States. Among the possible causes of back pain is sciatica and sciatica nerve pain. If you are someone who deals with sciatica, you understand just how difficult this medical condition can be. It is important to understand what sciatica is, how it may present, and how a chiropractor can help you address this common concern through properly administered chiropractic care.
What Is Sciatica: The Signs and Symptoms
First, it is important to understand what sciatica is. Sciatica refers to irritation involving the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve runs down the length of the back before it divides in two and passes into both legs. Because the sciatic nerve is one of the biggest in the body, there are also ample opportunities for compression and irritation. If the sciatic nerve becomes irritated, sciatica develops as a result.
Similar to other conditions, sciatica varies widely in its scope and severity. A few common symptoms include:
- Leg pain that gets worse when you sit down
- Feelings of tingling and burning that run down one or both legs
- The development of weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving the foot
- Pain that is worse on one side of the back of the leg
- Pain that makes it difficult to stand up
Anyone who develops these symptoms should seek the care of a trained chiropractor immediately. It is possible these symptoms could be caused by sciatica.
How A Chiropractor Addresses Sciatica
A chiropractor specializes in conditions that lead to back pain. Therefore, he or she is equipped to comprehensively address sciatica. Some of the ways a chiropractor may address this condition include:
Accurate Diagnosis
The first step is to make an accurate diagnosis. A chiropractor will take a detailed history of the symptoms, where they are located, and when they showed up. A chiropractor will also perform a detailed physical exam and, if warranted, take x-rays to accurately diagnose the condition. Then, he or she will help you develop a comprehensive treatment plan.
Chiropractic Adjustments
Chiropractic dadjustments are at the core of everything a chiropractor does. The goal of an adjustment is to make sure the spine is properly lined up. If the sciatic nerve has been irritated in some way, it is possible the bones, ligaments, and tendons may not be in proper alignment. A chiropractor can use manual adjustments to shift the spine into the right alignment. This could alleviate compression and pressure on the sciatic nerve that might be leading to the symptoms.
Heat and Cold Therapy
A chiropractor can also take advantage of heat and cold therapy. Alternating between hot and cold temperatures has been used by chiropractors to help people treat sciatic pain. Heat is used to release tight muscles that could be irritating the sciatic nerve. Then, cold therapy is used to reduce inflammation that could be leading to the symptoms.
Massage Therapy
Massage therapy could also be an important part of the treatment plan. The goal of massage therapy is to target lactic acid buildup in the muscles. Massage therapy is used to release lactic acid that could be causing the muscles to tighten. Massage therapy can also be used to calm nerves that could be contributing to the symptoms of sciatica.
Spinal Decompression
Spinal decompression may also be recommended for sciatica. The goal of spinal decompression is to slightly increase the amount of space between each individual vertebrae. If someone is dealing with sciatica, there is a chance that the vertebrae could be compressing the sciatic nerve. With spinal decompression, it is possible to increase the amount of space surrounding certain nerves in the spinal column, alleviating symptoms.
Corrective Exercises
Finally, a chiropractor may also recommend corrective exercises. Corrective exercises are often recommended to help patients strengthen the amount of support surrounding vulnerable structures. In this case, a chiropractor may be able to help you learn about corrective exercises that might be able to increase the amount of structure, support, and stability surrounding the sciatic nerve. By removing stress from the sciatic nerve, it may be possible to reduce these symptoms.
Rely on an Experienced Sciatica Chiropractor in Raleigh
These are just a few of the many ways that chiropractic care may be able to address nerve pain. If you are dealing with low back pain, it is possible you may be suffering from sciatica. In this case, you should rely on a Raleigh chiropractor to help you. An experienced chiropractor can take a closer look at your specific symptoms. Then, he or she can help you develop a treatment plan that has been tailored to meet your individual needs. If you are looking for someone who can help you address the root cause of sciatica, give us a call today. You can always count on our top Raleigh chiropractor to help you get out of pain quickly and back on the road to full recovery.
