Do you suffer from sciatic nerve pain? The sciatic nerve runs from the lower back through the buttocks where it branches down both legs into the toes. It is one of the longest nerves in the human body. Compressions along any part of the nerve can cause widespread body and back pain. Here at Shattuck Rose Chiropractic Healing Center, we can diagnose the underlying causes of your sciatic nerve pain and recommend treatment options to heal those injuries.
Causes and Symptoms of Sciatica
Sciatica is not a diagnosis. Instead, it is a symptom. Sciatica, which is caused by an irritation of the sciatic nerve, can be caused by herniated or bulging discs, spinal stenosis, spinal misalignments and spondylolisthesis or any other injury that puts pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Symptoms of sciatic nerve pain include pain in the lower back and down one leg. Sciatic nerve pain can occur in both legs, but it is rare. Additional symptoms include muscle weakness, difficulty walking and numbness or burning sensations.
The symptoms of sciatic nerve pain do not tend to get better with time. Instead, it usually progresses from lower back and leg pain to a debilitating condition that makes it difficult for the individual to walk and perform daily tasks.
Sciatica Treatment from our Chiropractor
Our chiropractor can determine the exact sources of your sciatica and explain your injuries to you. Once the injuries our known, a course of treatment is recommended to heal the underlying injuries. All of our treatment options are holistic, meaning we do not advocate the use of surgery or powerful pain killers. For example, if you have a bulging or herniated disc causing your sciatic nerve pain, we may recommend chiropractic adjustments and corrective exercises. Our goal would be to help the bulging disc move away from the nerve and back into its proper position between the vertebrae. When the disc retracts into its proper position, pain is permanently reduced.
Chiropractic adjustments help realign the vertebrae. When one or more vertebra are out of alignment, they can put pressure on the soft tissues and nerve roots, causing mild to severe pain and inflammation. By putting the vertebrae back in place, we are helping reduce the inflammation in your back and facilitate the healing of the nerves and soft tissues.
Corrective exercises are very specific exercises that are designed to strengthen the muscles of the core. When the back is strong, it is better able to support the spine, which means fewer misalignments and a reduction in back and leg pain.
We may also recommend nutritional advice and lifestyle advice. Eating properly helps the body heal and maintain its health. It can even help you sleep better, which improves mental alertness. Our lifestyle advice is designed to prevent you from reinjuring the healing area and to prevent injuries in the future.
To schedule an initial evaluation of your sciatic nerve pain, call our chiropractor’s office in Berkeley at 510-719-7210.