Understanding Sciatica: Causes, Symptoms, and Effective Chiropractic Treatments

Jess was in her mid-40s when she began experiencing sharp, shooting pains in her lower back and down through her leg. It was so intense that she struggled to stand up straight, and she had a limp whenever she walked. Jess had sciatica–but fortunately, chiropractic treatments for sciatica helped her find relief.

Sciatica isn’t really a condition or injury in and of itself. Instead, it’s a set of symptoms indicating that something is irritating the sciatic nerve, a major nerve in the body that runs from the lower back all the way down to the heel.

At Legacy Chiropractic, we can help you understand what’s causing your sciatic pain and develop a customized plan to help you address it without drugs or surgery. We offer several chiropractic treatments for sciatica that provide a holistic approach to pain relief.

Keep reading to learn more about sciatica, including its symptoms and causes. Or call our clinic to get started with your treatment plan!

Sciatica: Symptoms and Causes

Because sciatica is a type of nerve damage, it has three tell-tale symptoms:

• Severe pain in the lower back, buttocks, or along one leg. The exact sensation of the pain can vary–it might be throbbing, aching, shooting, etc.
• Numbness or tingling in the affected leg
• Weakness or a sense of heaviness in the affected leg

As mentioned above, sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve becomes irritated. But what causes that irritation? In the vast majority of sciatica cases, the patient suffered a herniated disc. A herniated disc occurs when the soft, cushiony cartilage between your spinal vertebrae bulges or the internal contents rupture into the nerve canal. If that damaged disc material presses up against or causes inflammation of the sciatic nerve, you’ll experience sciatica symptoms.

Effective Chiropractic Treatments for Sciatica

To resolve your sciatica, you’ll need to resolve the underlying cause–which, as stated, is usually a herniated disc. Fortunately, the chiropractors at Legacy Chiropractic understand your body’s spine and its role in overall health, making us the ideal choice for addressing herniated discs.

We’ll always begin with a comprehensive assessment to help us understand your exact symptoms and any underlying impairments that might have contributed to your herniated disc and subsequent sciatica in the first place.

Next, we’ll decide which treatment options are best for you. We might suggest any of the following:

• Spinal decompression to gently stretch the spine, helping relieve pain
• Spinal adjustments to help reduce pain and improve your mobility
• Manual therapy techniques to provide hands-on pain management and promote blood circulation
• Corrective exercises to strengthen your back muscles, which helps stabilize your spine
• Postural corrections to address any postural issues that might contribute to your pain

Resolving sciatica can take some time and patience, but we’ll work closely with you to manage your pain as you work towards addressing the underlying cause. Even better? We’ll provide you with the tools and strategies to prevent your sciatica from occurring.

Chiropractic treatments for sciatica are an excellent way to address your pain and discomfort without depending on drugs. Ready to get started? Request an appointment with Legacy Chiropractic today!