Is Sciatic Nerve Pain Causes You Discomfort? Find How Chiropractor Sciatica Can Help in Suppressing This Pain!

What Do You Need To Know About Sciatica

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is a medical term to describe the Sciatic nerve being pinched or irritated which causes pain to radiate along with one of the branches of this large nerve. Sciatica can result from several different conditions ranging from an acute injury, such as a fall on the backside, to deterioration of the spine over time caused by age and wear and tear.

The Sciatic Nerve

The Sciatic nerve connects almost the whole lower limb to the brain through the spinal cord. The sciatic nerve consists of several different branches and the trunk is formed by the union of sciatic nerve roots. These are the longest and widest single nerves in the human body. Sciatica occurs only when the Sciatic nerve is affected, either through pressure or inflammation.

A foramen is a hole that provides an opening for different structures to pass through something, i.e Sciatic nerve roots pass through Sciatic foramen to get from the pelvis to the lower limb. The sciatic foramen is a hole between the L5 vertebra and Sacrum.

In some cases, Sciatica appears because of certain other diseases or conditions, which affect the Sciatic nerve or Sciatic Foramen it includes:

• disc herniation
• spinal stenosis
• osteoarthritis of the spine
• lupus
• Sjogren's syndrome
• vasculitis
• Lyme diseases
• tumors at any point along its course from Pelvis to the foot. 

What Does It Feel Like to Have Sciatica?

A sciatica episode is defined as a disease in which symptoms are usually felt along the length of a big sciatic nerve. The following symptoms are associated with it:

• Pain is the main symptom of Sciatica. The pain may be experienced in any part of the lower limb but Sciatica is more likely to affect one side at a time
• Sciatica can also cause numbness, tingling, and weakness which develops from an attack on the Sciatic nerve. This occurs as a result of pressure on the Sciatic nerve.
• Sciatica Weakness may be partial or complete paralysis of individual muscles
• Other Sciatica symptoms include Sciatic pain when urinating, constipation, and Sciatica fever (in the rare case of infection).

The pain usually comes on suddenly and is severe enough to interfere with the activities of daily living. Sciatica forms a band of pain around the back of the thigh, buttock, and leg. It can extend from the lower back to below the knee or into the foot and is accompanied by sciatica weakness which cannot be explained by another medical condition.

Sciatica Treatment

You should always get a medical checkup to find the root cause of sciatica. However, there are some things you can do at home to ease your pain:

• You should always avoid sitting for long hours because it might lead to pressure on the sciatic nerve. You can use a specially designed cushion that will keep your hips slightly elevated and avoid any pressure on the sciatica nerve.
• Avoid lifting heavy objects: If you have a strenuous job, then make sure you lift objects carefully and slowly without putting any pressure on your lower back.
• Take medications: You can take over-the-counter painkillers to ease the inflammation and swelling in your hips. These medicines will help you relax so that you can get some much-needed rest.
• Acupuncture is also a great way of treating the sciatica nerves because it stimulates the nervous system, reduces stress and releases endorphins in your body. Massage is also a good way of treating sciatica with the help of a trained therapist.

Sciatica Exercises and Stretches

You can try some simple exercises which will strengthen your back muscles and ease the pressure on the sciatic nerve:

• Lie down on your back and gently lift your left leg off the ground, hold it in the air for about 20 seconds then slowly put it back on the floor.
• Repeat with your right leg. Lift both your legs off the ground and stretch them as far as you can without forcing yourself, hold this position for 10 seconds, relax and repeat.
• Lie on your stomach with your arms outstretched in front of you. Now try to lift your left leg off the ground so that it is resting on your right foot, hold this position for about 10 seconds and slowly return to the original position. Repeat with another leg.
• Make sure you don't force yourself into any positions because you might injure yourself and make the pain worse.

When To Ask Medical Assistance For Sciatica Pain?

In most cases, the symptoms are very intense for a few days but then they subside on their own as the swelling reduces in your hip joint. However, you should always get a medical checkup to confirm the root cause of your sciatica. You should get help immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• If the pain spreads to your calves and feet
• If you experience numbness and tingling in both legs.
• If you can't put any pressure on one of your legs because of sciatica pain.
• You feel like vomiting or experiencing nausea which doesn't go away with medication.
• In rare cases, the symptoms might last 'for months and can be very irritating. If your symptoms last for a long time, then it's important that you find the root cause of your sciatica pain because not treating it might lead to other problems such as herniated discs or arthritis in the future.

What Is Chiropractic Treatment for Sciatica and Why Should You Consider It?

Our chiropractors are trained to use all kinds of techniques and therapies in order to heal patients with sciatica. Some people might be afraid of the word 'chiropractor' because they think it's synonymous with back surgeries which can sometimes lead to complications. However, Prime Health+Wellness Downers Grove, IL. isn't that different from your family doctor because they too will start by checking your family history in order to determine if there is any kind of hereditary factor in your illness.

Chiropractors of Prime Health+Wellness know that the true cause of sciatica isn't a slipped disc or a herniated disc because that's just one small part of the problem. If you have a condition called 'Hip Impingement Syndrome', then chiropractors will use certain chiropractic techniques to treat that condition.

They can also help you with your sciatica pain through the use of different chiropractic treatments which don't involve any kind of medication. These therapies are designed to release tension in your back so that you can, once again, lead a completely normal life.

In most cases, we will advise you to do some chiropractic exercises at home which can help strengthen your body and regain the ability to walk around with ease. These exercises are called 'Hip Walking' because they consist of walking sideways while keeping both hips level.

Chiropractor sciatica treatment is a conservative, non-surgical approach to sciatica. The main goal of the treatment is lessening pain and symptoms with sensory input from nerves that are connected with the Sciatic nerve.

The following components are included in chiropractic Sciatica treatment:

• Spinal Manipulation

Spinal Manipulation is a chiropractic Sciatica treatment technique used to manually apply a controlled force into joints of the spine and pelvis. It involves applying a quick, precise thrust to these areas with an intent to improve joint mobility where it may be restricted or fix a derangement in the joint that is causing problems.

The treatment may be done manually with the hands, or with an instrument called an activator which delivers precise thrusting force to outlying joints of the spine and pelvis to help correct Sciatic nerve pain.

Chiropractors especially focus on the lumbar areas of the spine which the Sciatic nerve often runs along. Sciatica Treatment provided by chiropractors includes an examination to rule out serious conditions like tumors or infections that may need immediate attention to avoid permanent nerve damage.

• Exercise Therapy

A combination exercise program is used which includes flexibility exercises, core stabilization, and nerve strengthening. It is done in the chiropractor's office only after your condition can tolerate it.

• Lifestyle Advice Sciatica

Many Sciatica patients are relieved by simply changing their activity level to avoid activities that aggravate Sciatic nerve pain. Chiropractors often recommend patients avoid carrying heavy objects, lift with knees rather than their back, and get proper rest and sleep.

• Heat Therapy

Chiropractors often recommend heat therapy after treatment for Sciatica patients to reduce swelling and speed up healing. Heat therapy Sciatica can be applied using warm water or moist heating pads that are wrapped around painful areas like the low back, upper buttocks, inside thigh, and calf.

• Cold Therapy

Chiropractors also recommend cold therapy after treatment for patients to reduce swelling and speed up healing. Cold therapy can be applied by using a spray or ice pack over the area to reduce swelling.

• Spinal Adjustment

This is a manual therapy technique where an adjustment is administered to joints of the spine and pelvis using chiropractic hands-on techniques or an activator instrument. This breaks adhesions in soft tissue and helps restore normal joint biomechanics.

What Are The  Benefits of Chiropractic Care

The following are some of the advantages of chiropractic treatment for sciatica symptoms:

• Restores mobility in the spine to improve nerve flow, decrease pain and inflammation, and speed up the healing
• Relieves pressure on the sciatic nerve to give relief from symptoms like tingling, numbness, burning, or shooting pain down your leg
• Prevents future issues by correcting spinal misalignments that can cause further problems with sciatic nerve function

Conclusion

If you’ve been suffering from sciatica, give us a call today. Chiropractor sciatica care can help relieve pain and increase mobility in the spine and joints of your back. They often offer additional services such as massage therapy or physical rehabilitation to provide relief for chronic conditions that may be associated with sciatica-like fibromyalgia, arthritis, and more. 

Prime Health+Wellness Downers Grove IL. is here to answer any questions you might have about how we treat those with spinal injuries or other health concerns related to sciatic nerve pain. We want everyone who suffers from this debilitating condition to know they are not alone!