3 Effective Treatments for Sciatica

When you get to your desk at the office, you sit down and immediately start working. You’re anxious to start your eight hours and get back home, so you forget to empty your pockets. Your phone and wallet remain in your back pockets for hours at a time as you sit in front of the computer screen. Then, when it’s time to get up for a meeting, you feel a sharp pain in your leg and lower back. You know you haven’t pulled a muscle just sitting. What could be wrong? Does this scenario sound familiar?

It could be sciatica. The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body, starting in the lower back and going through to the foot. As a result, you can feel excruciating discomfort basically anywhere along this nerve when it becomes pinched or compressed. This can occur because of lumbar subluxations, pregnancy, constipation, diabetes, bulging or herniated discs, or sitting on your wallet for prolonged periods. Read on to learn how this problem can be addressed with your chiropractor.

Treatment for Sciatica

It is important to seek professional help with easing your sciatic pain. Not only will a chiropractor be able to relieve your discomfort but also address the cause behind it, leading to lasting wellness. Depending on the reason for your sciatica, your chiropractor can offer various treatments to help you recover, including the following.

Chiropractic Adjustments

Restoring healthy alignment in the spine can alleviate the pressure on the sciatic nerve, relieving pain. Spinal adjustments can also help reduce inflammation and muscle spasms, which are other sources of sciatic pain. If your nerve pain is actually the result of a herniated or bulging disc in your lower back, spinal decompression can allow these areas to heal and help you return to normal function sooner.

Ice Therapy

One way to make the sciatic nerve calm down is to apply ice to the area. Cold therapy slows down inflammation and keeps pain to a minimum. Be sure to keep the ice on your back for 15 minutes and then remove the ice pack for 15 minutes. Repeat this process as needed.

Therapeutic Exercises

The sciatic nerve is surrounded by the piriformis muscle as well as muscles that impact the spine. By keeping these muscles strong and healthy, these delicate nerves can be better protected and less likely to experience unnecessary pain. Your chiropractor can teach you specific exercises that work to build up your strength and properly maintain the muscles that influence the sciatic nerve.

Regardless of the cause of your leg or lower back pain, it is important to fix the real problem with your sciatic nerve. Your chiropractor is highly trained to properly diagnose and treat your pain in ways that provide more than just temporary relief.

About the Author

Dr. Chad Wills has been a chiropractor in Naples for more than 20 years. After graduating from Life Chiropractic University in Georgia, he has continued to pursue lifelong learning and training. One on only two in the Collier and Lee counties, he is certified in Chiropractic Biophysics. If you have questions about treating sciatica or have sciatic pain, you can contact Dr. Wills at Wills Chiropractic by clicking here.