Sciatica is characterized by sharp, piercing pain that originates in the lower back and runs down the legs. It affects up to two out of five US adults, which means that you are likely to experience it at some point in your life.
The traditional medical care for sciatica includes pain medication, lifestyle adjustments, physical therapy, and in some cases, surgery. However, many people seek help outside these traditional treatment options. The most common alternative is chiropractic treatment, which is considered safe and effective.
What Is Sciatica?
Sciatica is a condition where sharp pain is triggered by pinching of your sciatic nerve. This nerve travels from your lower back down your legs, and if it becomes pinched, you can feel the pain in these areas of your body. The most common scenario is that you’ll feel it throughout the whole length of the sciatic nerve.
Sciatica usually appears on only one side of the body, and the pain can range from mild to severe. It can also cause numbness or weakness in the affected leg. Other symptoms include leg pain that becomes worse when sitting, tingling, or burning sensation in the legs.
What Causes Sciatica?
Sciatica occurs when nearby tissues compress the sciatic nerve. The most common causes include:
- Bone spurs
- Herniated discs
- Spinal stenosis
- Prolonged awkward sitting positions
- Degenerative disc disease
- Injury
- Spondylolisthesis
- Pregnancy
Sciatica can also occur because of lifestyle choices such as wearing high heels too often or old age.
Sciatica Pain Relief
Sciatica often goes away on its own. However, if your pain is severe and persistent, you should see somebody about it. Not treating your sciatica can lead to permanent nerve damage, which can cause serious impairment of your leg function, and even loss of control over the bladder and bowel.
What Can a Chiropractor Do?
Instead of just alleviating the symptoms, chiropractic treatment seeks to find the underlying cause of your sciatica pain and fix it. That’s why during your first visit, your chiropractor will ask about your symptoms, medical history, and also perform a physical exam and additional scans if needed.
The treatment is based on the condition and the cause of your pain. It can include manual adjustments or spinal manipulation if the cause is herniated disks or spinal stenosis. The goal of these interventions is to take the pressure off your sciatic nerve and eliminate the pain.
Another approach to treating sciatica is spinal decompression. This procedure stretches the spine and returns it to its natural position, which improves the overall health of your spine and alleviates the pain.
Other approaches include massage therapy for better circulation, pain relief, and improved function, and physical therapy for better muscle function and relieving nerve pressure.
How to Find the Best Chiropractor in Spring, Texas?
If you are struggling with sciatica and looking for chiropractic help in Spring, Texas, the Spring Chiropractic clinic is the best option. As a team led by Dr. Scott Bolz, we offer a holistic approach to treating your back pain, which includes traditional chiropractic modalities, as well as pain management, rehabilitation therapy, nutritional counseling, and massage therapy.
Book an appointment and get rid of your sciatica today!