How Effective is Chiropractic Treatment for Sciatica?

When you want a natural, medication-free way to manage sciatica pain, consider chiropractic treatment for sciatica and lower back pain.

Chiropractic care is safe and reliable. Compared to taking medication to manage pain, chiropractic treatment for sciatica uncovers and addresses the root of the problem – not just treating the symptoms.

What are the causes of sciatica?

The sciatic nerve starts in the lower back and goes all the way down to the legs and feet; it’s the longest and widest nerve in the human body.

Sciatica is caused by a strain or pressure on the sciatic nerve in the lower back. It’s usually the result of a herniated disc, bone spurs (also known as osteophytes), or muscle strain. The other causes of sciatica are:

• Arthritis, which occurs when there is inflammation or swelling in the joint area within the spine.
• Spinal stenosis, which is the narrowing or tapering of the spaces between the spinal cord.
• Spondylolisthesis, which occurs when a vertebra skids onto another vertebra right below it.
• Degenerative disc disease.
• Pregnancy

Aside from these causes, other conditions that can trigger sciatica include excess weight gain, not being active, wearing high heels regularly, using a mattress for sleeping that is too soft and has no stability. 

What are the symptoms of sciatica?

Before you seek out chiropractic treatment for sciatica, let’s look at the symptoms of this condition first. When you experience the sensation of what feels like an electric shock, burning pain, or searing that goes down into the back of your legs and the buttocks area, then that is most likely sciatica pain.

Usually, the pain only happens on one side of the body. However, many patients have reported experiencing it on both sides of their body. Also, the pain radiating down from the legs is more severe than the lower back.

Some patients have reported that the pain can be extremely severe. However, for other patients, the pain may not be as severe, but it is more frequent and gets worse over time.

The other symptoms of sciatica are:

• Difficulty walking
• Difficulty standing up because of shooting pain
• Pins and needles
• Numbness or weakness in the leg or foot
• Burning or tingling pain running down the leg and foot

If you don’t seek chiropractic treatment for sciatica, the condition can get worse as time passes. This scenario may eventually lead to more severe or even permanent damage. Incontinence or loss of functional mobility is some of the serious results of sciatica pain.

Chiropractic Treatment for Sciatica Is a Natural Pain Relief

According to research, medication for sciatica treatment only addresses the pain, not necessarily the root of the problem. Even worse, some of this medication causes uncomfortable side effects such as fatigue, headaches, blurred vision, or dizziness.

An excellent alternative to medication is chiropractic treatment for sciatica. There are also other medication-free ways to manage and treat sciatica. They include:

• Stretching exercises
• Massage therapy
• Yoga

Because a herniated disc usually causes this condition, chiropractic treatment for sciatica pain is particularly beneficial.

A herniated disc, also popularly known as a slipped disc or ruptured disc, occurs in the lower back area, where the sciatic nerve is located. Experienced chiropractors realign the slipped discs, which can also focus on the cause of the pain.

Chiropractic Treatments for Sciatica

Ice Therapy

This technique helps reduce inflammation and manage sciatica pain.

Spinal Traction

One of the chiropractic treatments for sciatica is spinal traction. This involves decompressing the spine, a technique also called “distraction.” It makes use of gentle stretches focusing on the spinal discs and is painless. This technique is also used to straighten the spinal cord; it can enhance the body’s ability to self-heal.

This chiropractic technique also helps pull in fluid and nutrients into the spinal disc, promoting rehydration. When bone spurs cause sciatica, this technique is particularly effective.

Diversified Technique

Another chiropractic treatment for sciatica is known as diversified manipulation or adjustment. This technique involves a low-amplitude, high-velocity push to get back proper spinal alignment.

Myofascial Release Technique

When a strain on the muscle causes sciatica, an experienced chiropractor usually uses the myofascial release technique. This therapy involves minor pressure on the myofascial tissue that connects and protects the bones and muscles.