How Chiropractic Care Can Help Treat Sciatica

If you experience a piercing, shooting pain running from your lower back to the legs, you may be suffering from sciatica. The sciatic nerve runs from the buttocks down to the toes. It is the body’s longest nerve. 

Sciatica is quite common, affecting up to 40 percent of individuals. The sciatic nerve can experience pain from disc herniation, a trapped nerve, trigger point referral, or Piriformis syndrome. Find out how chiropractic care can help treat sciatica. 

Symptoms of Sciatica

Most mild sciatica cases resolve on their own. But the condition can be severe, causing painful symptoms. Several symptoms can indicate that you have sciatica. They include pain in the leg that increases with sitting and a burning or tingling feeling running down the leg. 

Others are numbness, weakness, difficulty moving the leg or foot, and consistent lower back pain. Some people experience intense pain, making it difficult to stand. 

Chiropractic Treatment for Sciatica

Chiropractic care can help relieve sciatic pain, and it does so naturally and gently. The non-invasive care provides pain relief without harmful side effects. Chiropractic care revolves around spinal manipulation and other forms of manual therapy to treat the condition. 

Holistic care focuses not just on a specific area but on the entire body. A chiropractor will develop a specialized treatment plan to treat your condition. 

Diagnosing Sciatica

If you have symptoms of the condition, it is vital to visit a chiropractor who can accurately diagnose sciatica. The care relies on the principle that restricted movement of the spine can lead to reduced function and pain. 

If you experience sciatic pain, the chiropractor will review your medical history with the option to take X-rays. A complete physical examination will help determine the source and cause of the pain. 

Chiropractic Adjustments

Chiropractors use spinal manipulations to get a herniated disk into the correct position. This helps take pressure off the sciatic nerve. The adjustments allow free spinal movement, restoring the misaligned vertebral discs. 

The adjustments vary from quick, high-velocity thrusts to gentle pressure and minimal force. A chiropractor can move the vertebra, so it stops pressing on the nerve. This reduces pain and enhances signal flow and mobility.

Chiropractic Massage

Chiropractic massage therapy relieves sciatica. The intense massage induces deep muscle relaxation. It also helps release endorphins that function as natural painkillers. Unlike a spa massage that may release tension and sore muscles, a chiropractic massage will lead to healing sciatica. 

Chiropractors have the training and expertise to target the body’s musculoskeletal system. They know how to apply the correct pressure for healing.

Chiropractic Care Techniques

Apart from chiropractic adjustments and massage, the chiropractor may use other techniques to treat sciatica. They include heat and cold therapies, spinal decompression, ultrasound, and chiropractic exercises. The chiropractor will develop a treatment plan that may involve several techniques.

Chiropractic care will look at different aspects of the patient’s life. The chiropractor can recommend lifestyle changes that will help protect the sciatic nerve. The changes include improving posture for long-term pain relief. 

For more on how chiropractic care can help treat sciatica, visit The Spine Clinic at our office in Salem, Oregon. You can call (503) 362-5555 today to schedule an appointment.