Sciatica Chiropractic

So you have sciatica, pain in the butt and leg is more likely what you will want to call it.  Besides the fact that it can hurt like the devil, the next worse thing is all the different advice you will get on how to treat it.  Your aunt says use heat, uncle says ice, hang upside down, walk, don’t walk; you get the picture. So take a deep breathe in, and get perspective on the cause of your sciatica before you begin the treatment.

Sciatica by definition is pain that follows a nerve or a dermatome. Your back hurts and your leg hurts, most likely all the way down to your foot. Generally just one leg huts. Many people that suffer from sciatica and do not have back pain, good for them.  We will call them the lucky ones, not having the back pain associated with the sciatica may lead to misdiagnosis. Often the doctor may think it is a leg problem and not the nerve.

Having a good history of what started your condition is important. Did you fall, were you kicked, did you lift something, were you in a car wreck? Maybe you just woke up with it. Everyone is a little different with their condition but it is important you and your doctor know what started the problem.

Most sciatica is caused by compression of the nerve from a bulging disc.  Other causes are muscle spasm, bone spurs, bruises or pregnancy in some cases.  Your Chiropractor or medical doctor will be able to diagnose it well, not everyone needs x-rays or immediate MRI’s. However if you have been getting treated for six weeks and not getting improvement or have a progressive neurological deficit, say your leg is getting weak and smaller, you probably need an MRI.  

If you just recently began to start getting sciatica it is important to start treating the lower back with ice, care should be made to not use it for more than 20 minutes and do not lay on the ice, lay the ice pack on you.  Make sure you have a barrier like a paper towel between your skin and the ice.  Patients that fall on asleep on ice may get frost bite. I do not recommend heat for a bulging disc it has been my many many years of clinical experience that heat does not help and often makes it worse.

At Moreland Chiropractic Clinic we treat sciatica with a couple different treatments, cryotherapy chiropractic adjustment and or decompression therapy.  Cox and or decompression therapy lessens the pressure the disc places on the nerve; the ice reduces the inflammation that is near to the disc.  We recommend to all our patients that your medical doctor know about your condition and how you treating the condition. We will at your request send out notes and treatment plan to your medical doctor.  We more than not co-treat with your doctor, many times they will prescribe different medicines that will help ease the pain while you are recovering, we have no problem with this the goal is to get you out of pain and back to life.  If a chiropractor or any alternative care giver has a problem with your medical doctor knowing about your treatment this is a serious red flag, there should be no secrets when it comes to you and your family’s health.

If you have sciatica and are considering conservative care give us a call, we are open to your questions.  As always ask your family or friends about us and consult your medical doctor.  You may be surprised, many medical doctors not only refer to chiropractors they also seek treatment from chiropractors.  The goal is to get you better. Don’t delay, call today.-            Moreland Chiropractic Clinic.