Sciatic nerve pain can be mild, moderate, or severe, and usually originates in the buttocks or lower back. Sciatica treatment includes a variety of stretches and exercises aimed to cure the pain that patients experience throughout their entire body.
Sciatica is caused by damage to or compression of the sciatic nerve which runs from the lower spine to the foot. This condition is characterized by weakness in the lower back muscles that leads to an inability to either sit or stand for long periods. Sciatica is also known as neuropathy, and it leads to numbness and tingling in the legs and feet in varying degrees of severity.
Other symptoms include burning or sharp pains in the legs, and some patients describe their pain as similar to an electric shock.
Untreated sciatica can cause permanent nerve damage, so it’s important you speak to your chiropractor if you think you may be experiencing symptoms of sciatica.
What Causes Sciatica?
Sciatica is caused by damage to the sciatic nerve, usually as a result of nerve compression, or as a side effect of another medical condition such as:
- Lumbar Spinal Stenosis. This condition is a narrowing of the spinal canal that results in a pinching of the spinal nerve and occasionally sciatica.
- Spondylolisthesis. This condition occurs when a vertebra slips over the one below it, causing discomfort and lower back pain.
- Cauda Equina Syndrome. This condition is rare but severe during which the bundle of nerves known as the cauda equina is damaged, causing extreme discomfort in the spine.
- Other kinds of injury within the spine.
The leading cause of sciatica is a herniated disc. A herniated disc occurs when the internal layer of the vertebra called the nucleus pulposus spills out or bursts into the spinal canal, through a tear in the hard-outer layer called the annulus fibrosis.
This spilling of the nucleus pulposus may compress a nerve or otherwise cause discomfort and lower back pain for a patient. Chiropractic treatment can help with this pain.
What Kinds of Chiropractic Treatments Exist for Sciatica Pain?
If you want to get better and restore strength to your spine, consider sciatica treatment with the help of your chiropractor. At-home stretches and exercises exist too, but treatment from a professional is more beneficial.
Sciatica treatment is non-surgical and non-invasive and aims to help the body regain strength and heal on its own. Your chiropractor will encourage this healing by helping you strengthen and enable movement in the spine, where movement was previously restricted.
Treatment depends on the severity of the patient’s sciatica, although the most common treatments include:
1.Ice/Cold Therapy
Ice is a natural anti-inflammatory. Using cold packs to reduce inflammation associated with sciatica can help control redness and irritation and reduce sciatic pain.
2.Ultrasound
Ultrasound technology produces heat that can penetrate through the skin into the muscles as a sciatica treatment. This technology also helps reduce swelling, redness, discomfort, and improves blood circulation.
3.T.E.N.S. unit (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation)
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is a technique that chiropractors, physical therapists, and other licensed professionals use to reduce sciatica pain in their patients.
A TENS unit is a small machine that extends electrical currents into the body to control pain and prevent muscle spasms. These electrical currents, when used at varied frequencies, can stimulate the lower back muscles in ways that eliminate sciatic pain.
4. Spinal Adjustments
Spinal adjustments aim to fix misalignment in the spine to restore the spine to its original shape and level of functionality. These treatments do not take long and can be done with a quick visit to a chiropractor.
Spinal manipulation frees the spine of any restrictions to movement and helps restore damaged nerves and reduce any associated inflammation of the back. Spinal manipulation is safe and effective when done by a professional.
5. At-Home Stretches and Exercises
Sometimes, your chiropractor will prescribe at-home exercises for you to do on your own time.
These are usually simple stretches such as “knee-to-opposite-shoulder” or the “sitting spinal stretch,” which you have probably done before in middle school PE class.
Regular practice of these stretches and exercises will lead to a quicker healing process, and hopefully, reduce any discomfort you may be experiencing.
Your chiropractor should be your first resource when looking for sciatica treatment and pain relief. Chiropractic treatment improves mobility and comfort in sciatica patients, giving them a chance to regain their full strength.
