Chiropractic treatment for sciatica is a treatment
option taken up by many patients. The science of chiropractic
is based on the belief that the human body has everything
it needs to heal itself, as well as the potential to
do so. While chiropractors do not claim to heal injuries
or relieve pain, they do bring your spine and body back
into correct alignment and balance so that it can heal
itself. This is why chiropractic is often such a successful
sciatica treatment.
Chiropractic is a drug-free and non-invasive therapy
that is effective at addressing many health issues.
There are different styles and methods of chiropractic
which are followed by these fully trained professionals.
Before a chiropractic doctor begins any treatment,
he or she will take a full medical history from you
and may order x-rays and other imaging tests to help
ascertain the state of your spine. A physical and neurological
exam will be conducted; muscle responses will be checked,
measurements may be taken, reflexes tested to get a
clear picture of how chiropractic can help you.
After
all the information is collected, your condition will
be discussed fully with you and possible sciatica chiropractic
treatments explained. If they don't think they can help
your sciatica pain, a good practitioner will say so
and not try to treat you at all.
How does chiropractic help sciatica?
One of the most common causes of sciatica is compression
of the sciatic nerve root in the lower back. This compression
causes irritation of the nerve and inflammation around
it and these factors cause the pain and other symptoms
that are commonly experienced with sciatica. The sciatic
nerve is the longest in the body, traveling from the
lower back, down the back of the thigh and into the
lower leg, which explains why sciatica pain can be felt
anywhere along this path.
Compression of the nerve is caused by a number of conditions
but many of them result from a problem with the alignment
of the spine. This is where chiropractic becomes a useful
treatment for sciatica because the aim of the chiropractor
is to re-align the spine which allows the body to heal
itself.
There are different types of treatments a chiropractor
might use; the method will be determined by your symptoms
and the cause of them. The most common types of chiropractic
treatments include:
Ice therapy which is useful in
reducing inflammation.
Ultrasound helps to increase circulation
and warm the area to reduce pain, swelling and muscle
tension and spasm.
TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation):
an electrical device sends an light electric current
to the nerves in the skin to give relief from pain
caused by muscle stiffness and spasm, and to improve
mobility, by increasing the endorphins produced by
your body.
Spinal manipulation or adjustment
is the most common chiropractic treatment for sciatica
because it corrects misalignment of the vertebrae,
allows herniated or slipped discs to return to the
correct alignment, frees up pinched nerves and compression
of nerves.
You may need several treatment sessions with the chiropractor
to fully recover from the cause of sciatica; this process
frequently takes some months but will depend on the
length of time that the spine has been out of alignment.
Chiropractic treatment for sciatica is not applicable
to all cases but can give amazing relief for those whose
sciatica responds to chiropractic care. Because it is
a non-surgical and medication-free treatment, chiropractic
sciatica treatment is increasing in popularity.
Video: Chiropractic Treatment for Sciatica - Pain Relief
