Remedy Sciatica and Prevent it from Returning

Oh, my aching back — and leg! This is what we hear from patients who suffer from sciatica, a painful condition where you experience lower back pain and discomfort that spreads all the way down your buttock and leg, where your sciatic nerve is located. It not only hurts, it limits your mobility, which has a terrible effect on your overall quality of life. 

Fortunately, our stellar care team at Spinal Correction Centers is ready to treat you using the most advanced techniques and treatments. We have four conveniently located offices for you to choose from, but no matter which you choose, our physicians treat you as an individual, never a number.

The nagging agony of sciatica

About 40% of Amwericans suffer from sciatica at one time or another. Your sciatic nerve is the longest one in your body, and it branches out from your lower back. When something compresses it, the problems begin. Symptoms include:

• Pain (which can be severe)
• A burning sensation
• Weakness in your affected leg
• Loss of feeling
• Tingling

Sitting for extended periods and a sudden jarring movement, like a sneeze, can exacerbate the symptoms.

It’s critical to seek medical treatment when you suffer from these symptoms to receive a correct diagnosis of sciatica, since its symptoms can mimic those of other conditions.

At Spinal Correction Centers, we carefully examine you and learn all we can about the details of your pain history to create an individualized treatment plan for you. Only this can relieve your pain and increase your mobility ASAP.

What can be done to help with my sciatica pain and discomfort?

Our Spinal Correction Centers team has one goal: to arrive at an accurate diagnosis and get you started on treatments that can help.

One of the most important first steps in your care is determining the cause of your sciatic pain. It can stem from a herniated disc (when the jelly-like center of your spinal disc pushes through its sturdy outer portion due to a weakening or tear, causing pain), a tumor or an abscess, a nerve disorder, or even an accident.  

You might also experience sciatica as a result of being overweight or having poor posture. 

Chiropractic care can be incredibly successful at treating sciatica, and depending on your unique symptoms, we may also recommend: 

• Massage therapy to soothe your soft tissues and muscles and improve circulation
• Nonsurgical disc decompression to stretch your spine with the help of motorized traction 
• Structural compression chiropractic treatment to improve posture and align your spine

An additional benefit of massage therapy is that your enhanced circulation supports better healing, while structural compression “tune up” treatments preserve the corrected alignment achieved through chiropractic care. Nonsurgical disc decompression is especially ideal when you’re suffering from a herniated disc. 

Gently stretching your spine reduces the pressure in your disc and on your sciatic nerve, alleviating pain and allowing your disc to get proper nutrients and sufficient hydration.

You may receive one or a combination of these treatments when you visit us, depending on your specific condition. 

What can I do to lower the chances sciatica will return?

Although there are no guarantees, and sciatica pain can come back, there are things you can do to lower the likelihood that it will. 

These include making exercise a regular part of your life and, in particular, doing exercises that strengthen your core so your back stays strong. We can recommend good activities that help you maintain good posture and proper alignment. 

It’s also important to be mindful of maintaining good posture when you sit, using a chair that supports your lower back and has armrests and a base that swivels. Positioning a pillow at your lower back can help, too, as can keeping your knees and hips level.

If your job requires standing for long periods, try to put one of your feet on a stool every once in a while. It’s also vital to learn how to properly lift bulky or heavy objects in a straight up-and-down movement, while demanding more of your lower extremities and holding the object you’re lifting close to your body. 

The Spinal Correction Centers team is dedicated to caring for you with expertise, compassion, and a listening ear, no matter what condition you’re living with. 

Call the office most convenient to you and schedule a consultation, or book one easily online.