Sciatica Pain Information

Sciatica is not classified as an independent disorder. It is a symptom of various vertebral conditions that cause pressure to be applied to the sciatic nerve itself. These conditions include herniated disc in the lumbar spine, degeneration of a disc, spinal stenosis, or spondylolisthesis. These conditions can either build up gradually or can manifest suddenly as the result of a traumatic injury.

Symptoms of sciatica include pain that starts in the back, progresses down through the buttocks and down one or both legs. This condition can cause numbness or tingling in the legs and even progress down to cause neuropathy in the feet. Usually, sciatica is only experienced on one side of the body.

Sciatica can either be acute or chronic. Most of these conditions are acute, which means that it will only last a short amount of time. An acute diagnosis will most likely get the best results and will have you back on your feet in no time. If the pain is long term and has happened more than once than your condition is chronic and your discomfort can continue for years.

Treatment Expectations

First of all, it is important to get a diagnosis of what is causing your sciatica symptoms. This will help your chiropractor decide the best course of treatment for your condition. No matter what the condition causing the symptoms, chiropractic treatment can provide relief for those symptoms.

Treatment for sciatica involves the decompression of the discs that are applying pressure on the nerve. The treatment plan also incorporates alternating cold and heat therapy, ultrasound, and light exercise. Sciatica usually can be healed in four to six weeks.

Benefits of Sciatica Treatment

The benefits of treating sciatica with chiropractic care include:

  1. Throughout the treatment time, you can feel the difference as your spine is carefully manipulated away from the nerve. Your pain won’t disappear overnight, but you should feel better every day.
  2. Due to the involvement of the nerve, the treatment is very gentle.
  3. Chiropractic adjustments are one of the best treatment treatments for sciatica.
  4. Improved mobility. Sciatica can make it painful to move. As pressure is released from the nerve, both mobility and discomfort improve.

Frequently Asked Questions

A pinched nerve can take place in any part of your body. Sciatica can be a pinched or compressed sciatic nerve in your back.

Improvement in sciatica symptoms has been seen in four visits. This does not mean that you are completely well yet. You will need to be careful for a little while longer depending on the condition that led to your symptoms.

Your chiropractor will sit down with you and discuss the details of your symptoms. He will then take the time to give you a very thorough hands-on examination. He may order scans or other tests to support his diagnosis.
Absolutely. Every patient’s case is as individual as they are. A patient whose sciatica is due to degenerative wear and tear arthritis will face a different treatment program to the patient whose test results show a fracture in one of their vertebrae.