Sciatica Pain Relief from Your Scottsdale Chiropractor

If you are suffering from sciatica, our Scottsdale Chiropractor, Dr. Daniel P. Secrest, DC is here to answer your questions and help you treat your pain. When a vertebral disc bulges within the spinal column, pressure is placed on a nerve root called the radicular nerve located in the lower (lumbar) region of the back. Chronic pain, numbness and tingling throughout the lower half of the body may indicate the sciatic nerve is also being irritated due to a bulging disc. Sciatica may also be referred to as lumbar radiculopathy and specifically involves compression of the sciatic nerve, which is part of a complex system of nerves branching from your lower break down into your buttocks, hips and legs. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about sciatica.

In addition to pain and numbness, what are other symptoms of sciatica?

You may experience leg and/or buttock pain that worsens when you sit, difficulty walking due to weakness and pain in one or both legs and persistent pain that begins in the lumbar region of the back, reaches into the thighs and continues spreading down the leg. Our Scottsdale chiropractor will perform a thorough assessment of your symptoms and medical history before correctly diagnosing you with sciatica.

What causes sciatica?

Tumors, abscesses, blood clots, bone spurs, scoliosis, diabetes and lumbar spinal stenosis may also produce symptoms of sciatica.

What are some chiropractic techniques used to treat sciatic pain?

The goal of sciatica treatment is pain relief and enhanced mobility. Ibuprofen and other NSAID-type, non-prescription medications can provide temporary pain relief but they do not address the root cause of sciatica. Spinal adjustments and manipulations performed by our chiropractor in Scottsdale are highly effective for alleviating sciatica pain. Cold laser therapy is a another non-invasive, chiropractic procedure offered at Secrest Family Chiropractic that relieves sciatica pain by delivering therapeutic light waves that heal irritated nerves and restore disc health.

How can you be sure it is sciatica?

Magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography imaging tests can help determine whether you have sciatica. Evaluating the transmission of electrical impulses through the sciatic and other spinal nerves are additional methods used to diagnose sciatica.

What is the prognosis for sciatica?

Although sciatica may resolve itself without treatment, it almost always returns. Worsening pain and numbness means the root cause was never addressed. With effective and proper treatment, you can enjoy rapid pain relief and reduce your risk of suffering sciatica in the future.

Secrest Family Chiropractic serves patients in Phoenix and the surrounding areas of Tempe, Chandler, Mesa, Fountain Hills and Paradise Valley. In addition to treating sciatica, Dr. Daniel P. Secrest, DC also offers a variety of chiropractic therapies, kinesiology taping, Koren Specific Technique (KST), pain rehabilitation and massage therapy. Contact us at 480-994-4411 today if you are suffering from lower back pain and suspect it may be sciatica.