Struggling with Sciatica?
Chronic pain from the back or buttocks and down through your legs could be a symptom of sciatica. In order to relieve the pain of sciatica, many people search for a Palm Coast, Daytona Beach, or DeLand chiropractor. However, many others never find a long term solution. If left untreated, sciatica can get worse until everyday activities are no longer an option. The goal of this article is to improve your knowledge of sciatica as well as show how chiropractic care at Coastal Healthcare Partners can help you.
Sciatic Treatment
Sciatica, or sciatic neuralgia, is a condition which creates pain, starting in the lower back and continuing through the back of the leg to the foot. Extended periods of standing or sitting can be unbearably painful when dealing with sciatica. In addition it can cause weakness, tingling and numbness throughout the leg and foot. Generally sciatica shows up periodically throughout a person's life with different levels of pain and discomfort. Regardless, sciatica requires immediate attention to avoid permanent nerve damage.
Compression of your sciatic nerve, the body's longest nerve, is the reason why pain travels throughout the legs and back. Originating from the lumbar spine, and then extending into the buttocks and down the legs the sciatic nerve covers a wide range. When pinched by the compression of vertebrae in your lower back, the roots of the nerve are inflamed which causes the pain.
Sciatica FAQs
Your sciatic nerve is a nerve that runs from your lower back through your hips and down each of your legs. Sciatica is a common but debilitating condition that occurs when this nerve is irritated. In most cases, sciatica will affect only one side of your body at a time.
If you have sciatica, you’ll experience pain that radiates from your lower back down one of your legs, usually to your calf. The pain may feel sharp, burning, or excruciating. It may also get worse when you sit for a long period of time, cough, or sneeze. Some people with sciatica also notice muscle weakness, numbness, or tingling.
A number of different conditions can irritate the sciatic nerve. One of the most common causes of sciatica is a herniated disc, which occurs when one of the intervertebral discs in your back is damaged. Bone spurs and nerve damage can also cause sciatic pain.
In most cases, Dr. Osborne will be able to diagnose sciatica based on your symptoms and the results of a physical exam. However, he may order imaging tests to look for certain causes of sciatica, such as bone spurs, or to rule out other problems.
Coastal Healthcare Partners offers several treatment options that may benefit patients with sciatica, including:
- Trigger point injections: deliver special medications to specific locations in the body to block pain
- Massage therapy: loosens stiff muscles that may aggravate sciatic pain
- Chiropractic adjustments: with herniated disc, adjustments can reduce the herniation and improve symptoms
- Physical therapy: can strengthen and stabilize your lower back to alleviate sciatic pain and reduce the risk of future problems
Dr. Osborne or another healthcare professional will determine which treatments are best for you based on the factors contributing to your pain. In most cases, he will recommend more than one type of treatment.
How Do You Develop Sciatica?
Numerous conditions can develop into sciatica. The most frequent factor is disc injuries and bulged discs. These are caused by the disc compressing on the nerve root. Disc injuries are the result of poor posture, continuous bending over, injury or accidents. Pregnancy, trauma or poor posture are effects of subluxations which is common for sciatica. Even simple tasks, like bending over to pick up something, have caused patients to endure intense pain. Unfortunately, it is probable that this spine condition has been progressing previous to the incident.
Chiropractic Care for Sciatica at Coastal Healthcare Partners
Chiropractors have been trained to use precision to determine the source of sciatica pain and the best treatment options. With a complete evaluation of the patient, chiropractors will apply careful adjustments to assist the body in aligning the spine and provide relief for sciatica pain.
Recovery time varies on the severity of the sciatica and the amount of correction that needs to be done. A longer persisting condition will most likely require a longer recovery timetable. To end on a positive note, it usually requires less time to adjust and recover than it took to create the condition. A healthier body is often a result of spine and disc improvements. Call our team at Coastal Healthcare Partners today if you are living with sciatica and its effects.
