How Can I Treat My Sciatica?

If you have sciatica, then you’re not alone. The problem affects 10 percent of American adults, and is most common among people ages 25 to 45. Most people with sciatica experience a shooting pain that starts in their lower back and then travels down one or both legs. Sometimes the pain is severe enough to limit mobility and may even make sitting and standing difficult. Physicians usually treat this condition with medication or injections, but studies show that seeing a chiropractor could be very effective in alleviating pain and curing sciatica.

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica can happen anytime the sciatic nerve is compressed. This nerve initiates in the lower back and then extends down each side of the hip, through the buttocks and all the way down both legs to your feet. Sciatica usually affects only one side of the body.

In addition to pain, people with sciatica may also experience mild tingling, pins and needles, numbness or weakness in the leg or foot, or a burning sensation.

What Causes Sciatica to Occur?

Many different factors may cause the sciatic nerve to become compressed including:

• A herniated disc
• A bone spur on the spine
• Spinal stenosis, which is narrowing of the spinal canal
• Degenerative disc disease
• A tumor or abscess in the pelvic area
• Injury to the pelvis
• Vertebra slipping over one another, which is called spondylolisthesis
• Wear and tear of the lower spine

What Can Your Chiropractor Do to Treat Sciatica?

Chiropractic care is designed to help the body heal itself. With this in mind, your chiropractor may choose one or a number of non-invasive treatments to relieve the symptoms of sciatica.

• Adjustments can help correctly align the spine so that your entire body is able to function better and more effectively. These may also help treat pain associated with nerve inflammation that is commonly connected to sciatica.
• Ice or Cold Therapy also helps reduce inflammation and the pain of sciatica.
• Therapeutic Exercises may also be part of a treatment plan. These help to strengthen muscles along the spine, especially the piriformis muscle that surrounds the sciatic nerve.
• Spinal decompression may be used to take the pressure off of a herniated disc if your chiropractor determines that’s the cause of your pain.

Any healing process requires good nutrition and a good night’s sleep. Therefore, your chiropractor may make nutritional recommendations as well as suggestions of how you can sleep comfortably throughout the night.

If you or a loved one is suffering from the pain of sciatica, consult a chiropractor in your area today. They may have exactly what you need.

Meet the Practice

Dr. Chad Wills of Wills Chiropractic provides relief for sciatica and other issues in Naples, FL. To discuss your back and how you can overcome the pain of sciatica, do not hesitate to get in touch with Dr. Wills. He can be reached by phone at 239-307-2176.