Dealing with Sciatica

Sciatica is a common and painful condition that many may not realize they are living with. Sciatic pain often begins in the lower back and travels down the back of the leg and into the foot. While this pain may be a lifelong issue, chiropractic care in San Francisco CA and in Walnut Creek CA can help manage the pain and improve quality of life. Without treatment, sciatica can continue to worsen and the pain can become debilitating. Finding treatment plans, like chiropractic care, can be life-changing. In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at what this condition means and how seeking out the help of a chiropractor in San Francisco CA or in Walnut Creek CA can change the role sciatica pain plays in your life.

Sciatica Treatment

Sciatica is a condition where the sciatic nerve, the longest nerve in the body, has become compressed. This sends pain along the length of the nerve. Typically, this pain will only affect one leg, though it could cause pain in both. This condition makes it difficult to stand or sit for a long period of time. It can be a very painful condition to live with and make daily tasks difficult. Pain isn’t the only symptom. Sciatica symptoms can include numbness or muscle weakness in the leg and/or foot, a burning sensation, or a pins and needles sensation.

Symptoms may be consistent, but will often come and go over the period of someone’s life. It’s important to seek out treatment to help deal with the pain. It is also important because, when left untreated, further damage could happen to the nerve. By dealing with the compression, you can prevent the long-term worsening of symptoms.

You may be wondering how sciatica happens in the first place. This condition often starts with either a misalignment of the vertebrae (known as subluxations) or it begins with disc injuries and bulges.

In the case of spinal misalignment, there are many different ways this can happen. It could be a sudden event, like a car accident or other trauma for the body, which shifts the vertebrae out of place. Misalignment often occurs when repetitive stress has been placed on the body, like from poor posture. Whatever the cause, the vertebrae compress the sciatic nerve in the lower back, irritating the nerve, and causing pain.

With disc injuries or bulges, the disc is pushing on the nerve. This can also happen suddenly, because of an accident, or through a repetitive injury.

While patients may sometimes feel the pain come on suddenly, it’s often the cause that the injury had been happening for a while but the pain started all at once.

Chiropractic Care for Sciatica

San Francisco CA and Walnut Creek CA chiropractors work to keep the body properly aligned. With sciatica patients, they will work to discover the source of their pain, intensity, and frequency. With a full patient history, they will work with the patient to create a long-term treatment plan to work toward natural alignment for the body. They do this through small adjustments to the joints using gentle and noninvasive techniques.

The results will be different for every patient struggling with sciatica pain. Depending on how long the condition has been a problem and how badly damaged the disc is, it may take longer for some patients to get back into alignment and find full relief. Fortunately, relief is still possible. Seeking out treatment as soon as possible to prevent further damage and lessen the amount of time it takes to correct is the best plan. Once a chiropractor has restored the natural alignment of the spine, patients find that their overall health and quality of life improves greatly.

Don’t suffer through sciatica pain alone. Get Premier Health Chiropractic on your side. Contact our office today to achieve the level of health you deserve.