Sciatica is a term describing chronic back pain caused by compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve, which runs along the inside of your lower leg from your lower back down to your foot.
The sciatic nerve travels down the back of your leg and into a small sheath of tissue called the piriformis muscle. There it runs along both sides of your sacrum, through the IT band between your hips, and runs down the front edge of your pelvis. From there, it passes under a bony structure called the sacrospinalis and then passes along the front edge of each thigh bone and down through a tunnel in your groin called the inguinal canal. In this post, we will talk about how a chiropractor can help your sciatica.
How Chiropractor Can Help Your Sciatica
Improve your posture. Poor posture can cause your spinal ligaments to become compressed and cause sciatica pain. Many people with sciatica complain that their back pain started because of poor sitting or standing posture. Chiropractors can help improve your posture so that you can enjoy a healthy spinal column and prevent future back pain problems.
To Remove the compressive force. Chiropractic works on the spinal nerves and joints, so that is one-way chiropractors can help your sciatica. The spine is composed of a long series of vertebrae, and these vertebrae are connected to each other by spinal ligaments that run along the length of the spine. If these ligaments become compressed or otherwise injured, they can cause pain in your back, hips, or legs. Chiropractors can adjust this spinal motion, often relieving your sciatica.
Treat the root cause of the back pain. Chiropractic is a holistic health care discipline that addresses the body as a whole. This means that if there is an underlying cause to your back pain, then chiropractors can help remove this source of pain and improve your overall health. Other than that, chiropractors use various techniques to help with the underlying cause of your pain and offer alternative solutions to solve this problem.
Treat other symptoms. Because sciatica runs along the nerve down your legs, it can also cause pain in different regions of your body. Chiropractors can help treat these leg and foot pains as well as other related symptoms. Many patients have told us that they found relief from their sciatica pain after going to see a chiropractor. Others report that they were able to sleep better or had more energy after being treated by a chiropractor.
Treat muscle spasms. In extreme cases, sciatica can cause muscle spasms, and manipulation of your muscles can bring relief from pain. Doctors often make these adjustments during a thorough physical exam, but some patients experience immediate relief from this spinal adjustment.
Treat the nerve root itself. Most people do not realize that their sciatica is caused by compression at the nerve root level. In many cases, it is the source of their pain that the chiropractor can fix. Chiropractors will often use various spinal manipulation techniques to release the nerve and other nervous system problems that are causing your sciatica.
Improve blood circulation. Sciatica causes pain in nearby nerves, muscles, and blood vessels. Chiropractic adjustments can benefit these areas of your body, as well as help improve your overall health by improving your blood circulation and bringing more oxygen to each system of your body.
Treat other compression injuries. If you have injured one of your lower leg tendons or muscles, then chiropractic care can still help you. Chiropractors are doctors of the musculoskeletal system, and this includes your legs so that if you have injured a tendon or muscle in your leg, then they can help fix these areas. In fact, many people with iliotibial band syndrome and shin splints come to see us because they heard that chiropractic treatments can help them.
Correct nerve interference. Most people with sciatica feel a burning, tingling, or aching sensation down their legs. Pressure on the sciatic nerve causes this, which can lead to more pain if you do not get treatment. Chiropractors consider the nerves throughout your body and are able to identify these painful areas as well as offer treatments for them.
In conclusion, chiropractors can offer a variety of treatment options for your sciatica. Whether you have a specific condition causing your pain or if an underlying problem causes your pain, then chiropractors can help. For more information about how your chiropractor can help with your sciatica, call our office today on 205-637-1363 and schedule an appointment!
