Sciatica Treatment Provided by a Chiropractor in Broomfield, CO
If you notice you're having pain in your back and sometimes you have numbness, weakness, or tingling, you may have a condition known as sciatica. It affects the largest nerve in your body. You can cope with your back pain. However, Summit Medical Care Center offers chiropractic care and other holistic and integrated medicine practices to help manage your pain and possibly relieve your sciatica.
About Sciatica
Sciatica doesn't classify as a condition. Instead, it's a collection of nerve-related symptoms that occur due to an injury, disease, or degeneration of the sciatic nerve. This nerve is the largest in your body. It begins in your lower back. Then, it travels through your hips and buttocks and extends down each one of your legs. Most patients who have sciatica experience it on one side of their body only.
If you have sciatica, you may experience burning or tingling in your back that extends down a leg. Some people have inflammation, numbness, or a burning sensation as well. While some individuals suffer from a mild ache from sciatica, it's possible to have sharp, excruciating pain. You may notice the pain worsens when you sneeze or cough. Even sitting for long periods of time may cause your sciatica to flare up.
Causes of Sciatica
Those who have a pinched nerve, bone overgrowth, or a herniated disc could suffer from sciatica. You're more at risk for developing sciatica if you're older because your spine changes over time, and you become more likely to develop bone spurs or have a herniated disc. People who are overweight are more susceptible to sciatica. Even living a sedentary lifestyle puts you more at risk.
Chiropractic Care for Sciatica
First, our chiropractor diagnoses your condition by asking you questions about your symptoms. Then, you may need further testing to determine the cause. Finally, our chiropractor establishes a treatment regimen to help manage your pain and possibly correct the underlying problem. For instance, our chiropractor may perform routine spinal alignments. These holistic treatments realign your back manually. The alignment relieves pressure on the surrounding nerves and tissue in your back.
Spinal decompression is another treatment we offer. It consists of a device that stretches your spine, which relieves pressure on the nerves. Part of integrated medicine also consists of making lifestyle changes like incorporating exercises that help increase mobility and reduce pain. Our practitioner educates you on exercises that are more beneficial to your condition, which are mainly stretches.