Sciatica is a common, yet misunderstood condition that affects up to 40 percent of the population. Most cases of mild sciatica resolve on their own. However, when sciatica doesn’t resolve on its own, it can lead to chronic pain and muscle weakness. When this happens, rely on the expertise of a chiropractic team, like the one at Advanced Medical of Twin Cities, to relieve your pain in a safe manner and without medication.
Sciatica is a label for pain that’s triggered when your sciatic nerve becomes pinched. Your sciatic nerve travels from your lower back, past your hips, and down each leg. Sciatica pain can be found anywhere along this path and is often felt through the entire length.
What Type Of Pain Will I Experience?
Most people only experience sciatica on one side of their body. The pain can be mild or severe. The pain can be felt as an electric shock or as a deep aching pain. It can also cause your affected leg and foot to feel numb or weak.
What Causes Sciatica And Can It Be Healed?
This most common cause of sciatica is a herniated disk in your spine that presses on the sciatic nerve. It can also occur when a bone spur presses on the nerve or when your spine is narrowed and puts pressure on the nerve. Sciatica often resolves on its own. When it doesn’t, it’s a good idea to see a medical provider. Left untreated, some cases of sciatica can lead to permanent damage to your sciatica nerve. This could cause you to lose feeling in your affected leg or even lose control of your bowel and bladder.
How Can Chiropractor Help You With Sciatic Pain?
When most people think of chiropractic care, they primarily imagine “getting your back and neck cracked” to alleviate back or neck pain. It is true that this process, known as chiropractic adjustments, is a big part of the chiropractic treatment of sciatica, but chiropractors use a variety of treatment methods to address sciatic nerve impingement and pain:
● Cold therapy which reduces inflammation.
● Ultrasound which soothes pain with a gentle heat created by sound waves that penetrate muscles, increasing circulation and reducing muscle spasms, stiffness, and pain.
● TENS Unit, a muscle stimulation machine applies an electrical current to manage pain and reduce muscle spasms.
● Spinal manipulation which frees the spine to move properly and restores proper alignment to vertebrae experiencing subluxation.
● Spinal decompression therapy involves stretching the spine, with the goal of relieving back pain and/or leg pain.
Chiropractic Care For Sciatica Pain
Sciatica pain is uncomfortable and demobilizing, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’ve been dealing with shooting pain and discomfort, chiropractic treatment can help. Sciatica is not a condition, but a symptom. Home remedies and over-the-counter pain medication might provide temporary relief, but they won’t address the underlying cause of your pain. For long-lasting healing, you need a chiropractor’s help. At Advanced Medical of Twin Cities, we’ve helped hundreds of sciatica patients find relief through spinal realignment and medical massage. Ultimately, the primary goal is to relieve pain and allow the body to heal itself. If you’re suffering from sciatic pain, you want relief as quickly as possible. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and free yourself from pain.
