If you look around, you have probably met countless people with lower back pain, often at times with accompanying pain down the back of the leg, known as Sciatica.
WHAT IS SCIATICA?
Sciatica sufferers often have severe pain along the sciatic nerve path, usually in the back of the legs and thighs, sometimes to the ankle, foot and toes. Not only is there searing, sharp pain but can also display as an abnormal sensation; nerve experiences such as pins and needles, burning, tingling, prickling, crawling sensations or tenderness. For some individuals the pain is in the front or side of the legs, or even both legs.
THE PAIN VARIES
For sciatica sufferers, a good night’s sleep might be a thing of the past. Simple things like walking, bending, turning, sitting, or standing often at times can be difficult or near impossible. Often at times there may be constant throbbing, with pain letting up for hours or even days, only to return a short while later. Intensity may also vary; it may ache or be knife-like. Sometimes postural changes like lying down or changing position affect the pain.
CAUSES OF SCIATICA
Like most other conditions, sciatica has a wide variety of causes, with the most common cause being due to its relationship to the spinal column. A misaligned spine, a protruded or ruptured disc can irritate the sciatic nerve which may result in sciatica. Physical trauma such as motor vehicle accidents, cumulative repetitive traumas, such as sitting for long hours, or even gardening, golf and other movements which places abnormal pressure on the lower back have been related to sciatica. Other causes of sciatica have been reported following slips and falls, injuries, and even childbirth, often at times due to spinal misalignments.
THE CHIROPRACTIC APPROACH
It has been shown by the US Health Department that uninjured people who visit a chiropractor have 50% fewer injuries than those that do not. Let your chiropractor help you to save time by operating at top efficiency and health, and not band-aiding your spinal condition.
Chiropractors correct poor spinal alignment using spinal adjustments to relieve pressure on the spinal nerves, joints and discs. Throughout our lives, we have our teeth, blood pressure, and eyes checked on a regular basis, but do we ever have our spines checked?
When your spine becomes misaligned it could damage (impinge or ‘pinch’) the nerves it is designed to protect. Spinal misalignment can upset the delicate workings of our nervous system, which can contribute to such secondary conditions as pain, numbness, and biomechanical issues. Ask any mechanic about the importance of tire alignment, and they will tell you that not checking wheel alignment on a regular basis can lead to auto inefficiencies and potentially thousands of dollars in damages. And yet, if you do have sciatica, chiropractic spinal correction is needed, which entails a unique, specific plan.
HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT CHIROPRACTOR?
Much like an orthodontist that straightens teeth, our practice does a thorough evaluation including orthopedic and neurological testing, radiographs, and establishes a specific spinal corrective plan using a variety of methods including corrective spinal restorative equipment to straighten your spine from the front, and change the spinal curves from the side view closer to its proper, normal structure, to remove pressure off of your discs and nerves. Ever seen a chain, where one link is skewed? The chain doesn’t function as well and loses its integrity; much like your spine can lose its strength and integrity should it be misaligned.
Those suffering from sciatica and leg pain would do well to visit a Doctor of Chiropractic. To many sciatic and lower back pain sufferers, our unique approach of spinal correction has been a blessing. Our Chiropractic approach is active, working to strengthen you now, so that conditions will not “suddenly” crop up to plague you again.