Best Treatment For Sciatica – Chiropractic Care

Botti Chiropractic & Wellness | Best Treatment for Sciatica

Sciatica – What is it?

Sciatica is a sharp, toothache-like, shooting leg pain that originates in the low back or buttock and travels into one or both legs. Burning, numbness, and tingling sensations are the other symptoms of sciatica. It is also called radiating or referred pain, neuropathy, or neuralgia. Sciatic nerve pain varies in intensity–from minimal to moderate to severe–and also in frequency, from occasional to intermittent to frequent or constant. Wrongly construed as a disorder in itself, the truth is that sciatica is a symptom of a disorder.

Causes of sciatica

The most common cause of sciatica is sciatic nerve compression. Some spinal disorders are also likely to cause sciatica. They include lumbar spine subluxations, (i.e. misaligned vertebral body/bodies), herniated or bulging discs (i.e. slipped discs), spinal tumors, pregnancy, and childbirth. Not just limited to spinal disorders, sciatica may also be caused by non-spinal disorders such as diabetes, constipation, or sitting on one’s back pocket wallet.

Another common cause of sciatica that deserves mention is piriformis syndrome. The sciatic nerve runs beneath the piriformis muscle, which is located in the lower part of the spine. It connects to the thighbone and assists in hip rotation. Also, it is susceptible to injury from a slip and fall, hip arthritis, or a difference in leg length. Any such accident may cause the piriformis muscle to cramp, and spasm may develop, thus pinching the sciatic nerve and causing inflammation and pain.

Treatment of sciatica symptoms; The chiropractic approach

The chiropractic approach is based on the fact that restricted spinal movement leads to pain and reduced function and performance. It aims to help the body’s potential to heal itself and the best part about the chiropractic approach is that it is non-invasive, non-surgical, and drug-free.

As far as sciatica is concerned, the type of chiropractic therapy to be adopted for its treatment depends upon the cause of the patient’s sciatica. The following are various chiropractic treatments known to successfully treat sciatica ensuing from different causes:

• Adjustments or spinal manipulation – Spinal adjustment or manipulation forms the core of chiropractic care. It frees the restricted movement of the spine and also helps restore misaligned vertebral bodies (subluxation) to their proper position in the spinal column. In addition, spinal adjustment helps reduce nerve irritability responsible for inflammation, muscle spasm, pain, and other symptoms related to sciatica.
• TENS – TENS, an abbreviation for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, is a battery-powered portable muscle stimulating machine unit that is enclosed in a small box-like structure. It sends out an electrical current of variable intensities that aids in controlling acute pain and reducing muscle spasms.
• Ice/cold therapy – Ice therapy is known to reduce inflammation and control sciatic pain.
• Ultrasound – Ultrasound uses sound waves that penetrate deep into soft tissues and produce gentle heat, thereby increasing circulation and helping reduce muscle spasms, cramping, swelling, stiffness, and sciatic pain.

Schedule a Consultation with Botti Chiropractic & Wellness Today!

As the most well-known Oak Lawn chiropractor, Dr. Valentino Botti of Botti Chiropractic & Wellness, often performs numerous different chiropractic adjustment techniques conducive to treating several subluxations and disorders. These techniques that vary from a swift high-velocity thrust to those that combine minimal force and gentle pressure have been proven to successfully treat sciatica. Get in touch with Dr. Botti for successful treatment of sciatica.