Chiropractic And Sciatica
Pain often interferes with every aspect of daily life causing limitations to activities and a can lead to a negative outlook on the future. Due to this, it can be very important to determine the cause of the pain and choose the correct method of correction. Constant pressure on the sciatic nerve may be one of the most common causes of back, leg and foot pain.
Chiropractic and sciatica tend to go hand in hand for anyone looking for the first line of defense. Chiropractors are trained to diagnosis and evaluate sciatica, as well as determine the cause and develop a plan of treatment. The chiropractic approach to treatment of discomfort is based on the fact that spinal misalignments cause pain and a decrease in function. By eliminating the restrictions, the body can then heal itself as it was designed to do.
The sciatic nerve is the largest and longest nerve in the body and is connected to the complex nervous system that relays messages (both painful and enjoyable) to the brain. The sciatic nerve path begins at the lower back and extends through the buttocks, behind the knees and then branches into smaller sections to include the feet.
Sciatic pain is demonstrated in various ways, including; traveling or shooting pain starting in the lower back through the buttocks, behind the knee and down to the foot. Or it can also be felt as numbness, tingling and/or a “burning sensation” to this area. It may also present as numbness or weakness from the lower back to the foot or just a distinct portion of this area. By combining chiropractic and sciatica, it’s possible that you can reduce the severity of the symptoms and underlying cause of the pain.
A chiropractic approach in dealing with sciatic will first be concerned with determining the cause of the patient’s pain. A Doctor of Chiropractic is able to do this by obtaining a complete medical history and then performing a physical and neurological exam. These steps will help dictate the direction needed to be taken to complete the exam. Standard tests may include X-rays, MRI and CT scans to further determine the root of the problem and confirm that chiropractic care is indeed the best approach to relieving the pain and discomfort or if a more invasive type of treatment may be needed. If for any reason the chiropractor feels that the treatment is beyond his scope of practice, they will then refer the patient to a specialist.
Once the cause of the sciatic pain has been determined, the chiropractor will then develop a treatment schedule. There are a number of ways that can be used to treat sciatica depending on the underlying cause of the problem. The treatment is the combination of chiropractic maybe as simple as applying ice/ cold packs to the affected area, as this will help decrease any inflammation and in turn decrease the pain felt. Spinal manipulation may also be needed to help realign the spine. In this way, the pain and discomfort are then relieved.
In addition, the use of ultrasound or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) maybe indicated. Ultrasound penetrates deep tissue using sound waves and heat, thus increasing blood circulation and decreasing pain and discomfort, while TENS machines transmit electrical current through electrodes placed on the skin that, among other things, encourage the body to produce endorphins, assisting in the relief of pain.
